Trapped in the Glass
by Aura
Summary: Kagome comes across a rather unusual scene with soul reapers years after she's been kicked out of the past. She aids Byakuya and is left with hope but uncertainty regarding how she might find a way back to the fuedal era. Byakuya x Kagome Rating may rise
1. Fall Back

Story: Trapped in the Glass

Author Notes: Well, doing it again. Felt the need to do something new and as I have a great love of Kagome/Byakuya I wanted to do something new with them. This is set starting in chapter 468 of the manga. I also need to say Tsukeshima is Aizen 2.0 and he just needs to grow the butterfly wings already.

**Chapter One:** _**Fall Back**_

"_I would prefer even to fail with honor than to win by cheating"_

_**-Sophocles**_

The rap of the light rain was stark on the metal sheeting that made up the old shacks roof. The young woman standing near the well the ramshackle structure housed spent what her family thought were too many evenings lingering within hoping her link to her friends would open for her. One year had passed, Kagome Higurashi graduated high school and would be going on to college, studying to be a reporter. It was the only thing she could think of that might give her the rare glimpse of the excitement she missed from her days in on the other side of run down well she spent so many evenings camped next to. The life she was building though seemed like a mask, she could smile and put on airs for her family and friends but she knew better. Her real self, who she wanted and what she wanted, had been postponed indefinitely.

She traced the ancient wood carefully with her fingers, she could still feel the feint tie it had to the tree outside, another of very few things that had survived the differences between the feudal era and her own time. Lately she could feel many more things out in the world around her that she could not before her training to be a priestess by Kaede. She wondered if on the other side of the well if the grandmotherly woman was still alive. None of her friends would have survived to her own time. Even demons weren't immortal. Something had happened in the five hundred year span between the modern day and the feudal times that had wiped the demons out.

Still, every once in a while she could feel something, a small flicker in the distance, hard to make out and foggy but still pushing at the edge of her awareness. As if there was more even here in this time just beyond her reach. Making her life all the more worrisome, was it just her having memories of when she ran with Inuyasha and the others, or could it be there really was something maddeningly close that she couldn't manage to pierce? It was hard to say.

This was the last night she would be able to camp out next to the well, a final fruitless grasp at finding salvation from a commonplace life. She'd walked in the fields of a fairy tale and now she could never be fulfilled by the lack of fantasy. She knew that she would need to close the door on this part of her history though, once she had left her home and the portal it possessed she likely wouldn't again find such a place.

For all her hatred of Naraku, for knowing that he had to be killed for the world to be good again, she couldn't help but want to have those days back. Many of those days had been painful, she had wished for nothing else than their journey to end. Faced with the banality of this reality she wanted them back again. Tomorrow she would leave for college, it wasn't here but in another city an hour or so north of Tokyo called Karakura town. She wasn't looking forward to moving on, it was like some part of her was turning her back on her friends, but she couldn't stay here forever. She did plan on waiting through the night – but most of that time was gone. Even with the light rain, she could see the outside starting to brighten as the sun began to peak over the horizon. She'd never hated it more than she did just then…that light only further illuminated the oppression she knew she'd feel for the rest of her days.

It was numbly that she slowly dropped her hand from the familiar wood of the well, turning her head away with tears in her eyes as she went to shower and get ready to take the train. She was already packed; most of her things had already been moved to the apartment she would be sharing with Eri. It would be her first days not visiting the well since her departure and she couldn't help but feel nervous about that as well as this new life she was preparing to move into.

Kagome managed not to cry; she'd gotten very practiced at smiling through her sorrow. Going through the motions she was ready before much time had passed and was near the door hugging and wishing her family goodbye even though she wouldn't be that far away and would probably be able to visit easily on the weekends. She told her mom she'd be fine, Souta he could not have her room, and Grandpa that she would still visit the shrines in Karakura town at least once a week.

The train ride was long, and at the off hour was empty enough that she was able to shed a few of the tears in her eyes. She would miss all of them, her family and friends from here and from the past. Even knowing she could visit often didn't make parting from home any less distressing. After a few tears though she wiped back up her face and fixed her make up, she had to meet some of her professors later and didn't want to look anything less than her best. The rest of the trip she took with a quiet despondency that was an accustomed habit.

Before long she was opening the door into the small but still two bedroom apartment, looking around at their sparse furniture and heading to put her clothes away from the suitcases she'd drug with her today. Eri had left a note that she'd already headed to the campus to start meeting people but Kagome wanted to get her things in order before following. It was a open day. It would allow her to pick up her schedule and just look around campus and meet professors. She wasn't concerned with getting there very early. A glance at the clock read her at nine thirty in the morning, she had plenty of time to accomplish putting her things away and would still get there before lunch.

All of which she did in short order. It didn't take her long to put things away, the campus was only a few blocks from the apartments and she'd already picked up her schedule and looked around, even met the one strict-seeming professor that was actually in her room. A middle aged woman called Professor Ringo and would be teaching her Botany course – it was the science credit she'd decided to try for given her small bit of experience with herbs. Though the lack of many plants in the actual office left her concerned as to how well that course would go.

The rest of her professors had already left for lunch so she figured she'd meet them in class, her own stomach was groaning protest by then as she'd skipped breakfast. Glancing over the cafeteria only gave her signs that marked it as opening tomorrow so she went to walk and look for any food near the campus itself.

Then a burst of energy echoed unmistakably in her mind, rocking her so much she stopped mid-step, mouth hanging slightly ajar at the flash of light she saw not all that far away in an alley. Her stomach's grumbles forgotten she tore down the road, she'd still worked out every day, ran often, worked with her archery and reflexes. She half wished she'd brought the bow she had stashed in her closet. It was only a moment before she turned the corner to see two dark haired men with swords facing each other.

They weren't all that dissimilar, they had on different clothes, one was wearing a set of suit pants, a nice white shirt, suspenders but was minus the jacket. The other was wearing what seemed to be a strange white coat over a black kimono, it's collar quite high and with small tassels on either side. The same one had odd hairpieces splitting parts of his hair. Their faces were somewhat similar, they were both handsome, sort of regal, though one had very dark eyes and the other's were a gray color. They'd been talking before she rounded the corner but she didn't hear them. Then the one in suspenders moved suddenly and cut a leaf in half.

If she couldn't sense something obviously off about them she'd of dismissed them as nerd's wanting to play ninja. Then the one that killed the leaf spoke.

"Did that seem like a meaningful action to you?" He had a light tenor voice, it would have been pleasant if she couldn't feel the hostility within it. Kagome had always been good at reading people and it was very clear this man held incredible distain for the world around him and the man standing across from him.

"I will not underestimate any action to be meaningless." The second man replied, his tone was a deeper baritone and quite serious, requiring attention without actually demanding it. Kagome had to stare a long moment at the face off, not knowing what to think, it wasn't exactly what she expected whenever she finally touched something supernatural again.

"Oh?" Suspenders replied, the light raise of his voice condescending despite the calm expression. He drew back his sword as if to attack the other man this time though they were some distance apart.

"Scatter, Senbonzakura." The deeper man intoned and Kagome could feel her mouth agape but couldn't quite manage to close it. The blade of his sword had fractured into all manner of cherry blossoms…though her body and mouth only stared dumbly at the beautiful display her mind was catching up a little more quickly.

_"That doesn't seem like it'll help."_

As if reading her mind, Suspenders drug his sword along the ground before leaping over the line of pink flying his way, the small struggled continued with the two stepping so quickly they seemed to flash in and out of place. She suddenly stepped forward as they got closer though, pushing the more well dressed man back. "Stop, he put something there in the ground."

She paused, feeling her cheeks start to redden as both the men stared at her with shocked expressions. The world suddenly looked different; the alley she'd been in was replaced with a strange block like world that made her frown. "What…what the hell are you two doing?"

"You…" She pointed suddenly at Tsukishima and her own eyes widened as she realized why the pull of energy was so familiar moments before when he'd drug his sword over the ground. "You augmented time!"

"Yes." Tsukishima outright grinned at the change in events, it was unexpected but he had just found another creature with the right spark to be one of the minions beneath him. "Book of the End slips my presence into my target's past. I put a trap there a long time ago, but how did you notice? Or more importantly how did you get here?"

He wasn't generally one to talk so much but his moment of surprise on his opponent was lost, and learning what he could was wise. Byakuya seemed as shocked to see the human as he did. He'd figured the world created by Yukio wouldn't allow interruptions from the outside, it seemed that his opponent had believed the same.

"I dunno…you guys are loud…" Kagome answered uncomfortably. Wishing more than ever she'd of brought her bow and arrows. She could focus her will into holy energy without them but it was always fairly unstable when she had tried it last time she'd destroyed part of the yard. She hadn't done much practice after that. "…where the heck are we?"

Byakuya had recovered from his own momentary shock, the young woman had a strange reiastu but she'd been trying to help him so for the moment he returned to his own agenda. Pointing the bladeless hilt at the other man the petals flew up into the air again speeding toward him. Though the man vanished and appeared behind them but she could feel him, she turned even as Tsukishima caught Byakuya's hand.

"I've cut even your sword. I'll never be stuck once more by your blade. Your sword and your techniques, I've seen them so much it's downright boring." The quietly spiteful man went to draw his blade across Byakuya's chest but a light shot from Kagome's palm, it slammed him harshly in the chest knocking him backwards with such force he was rolling across the ground.

"Stop it!" Kagome grit her teeth, the feeling of his corrosive blade using it's malignant ability to erode pieces of history was darkly familiar. It was like the shadowed cousin of the magic that used to take her to the past; the son of the pink crystal that had stolen her from her true home. It drew up her own hackles and made her feel her own venom toward the man that would use such a needlessly destructive thing. "Stop augmenting reality to fit what you want! I won't allow it!"

Her hand was burning from calling on her ability for the first time in such a long while, but she pushed the ache out of her mind, doing her best to focus on the fight that unfolded in front of her. Byakuya had not missed the opportunity and the two were flashing here and there making it impossible to follow with any accuracy and she wasn't willing to draw on her powers without having a clearer shot.

Eventually they both paused some distance away from each other, but the man she'd pushed away from the trap was in front of her. Putting himself between her and the other one she wanted a clear shot on.

_"Men."_ She thought in annoyance. _"They choose the worse times to be protective."_

"Large words for someone that walked in on something they don't understand. Do you think a untrained human would be able to interfere with me?" Tsukishima commented with a sharp laugh. "Is this your honor Byakuya, fighting with others? Here I thought you'd decided to take me on alone."

Byakuya glanced shortly at Kagome and back at Tsukishima. "You, a con artist that only masquerades having any real skill; who cheats without a shred of dignity, changing the rules of the game when he doesn't like the field he's presented with, who are you to speak of something like honor?"

Tsukishima just laughed again drawing his blade closer. "Just like a soul reaper, all pride and no thought process. What happens when I cut your new friend? There aren't many rules when it comes to doing what it takes to win. I imagine you'll like being on the end of that ability of hers."

He was blasted back again a moment later, the strength of the new shot better and more accurate than the last. Though this time he was more ready for the impact and flickered out of sight shortly after being hit, an explosive impact where he would have likely taken a lot of damage if he hadn't. Then he was there again, appearing behind Kagome and slashing a narrow wound across her back – he didn't want to damage a new friend after all.

Though what happened wasn't at all what he was expecting, a backlash of images drowned his vision, his ability to augment time suddenly looping when it touched someone that was already out of the normal line the flow of the clocks hands followed. The hesitation was enough for Senbonzakura to surround him, and even though he knew what was about to happen, even though he'd seen it so many times he'd called it dull moments before he couldn't move fast enough to get out of the way of the agony he was about to endure. It suddenly seemed less boring as the waves of salmon blades surrounded him.

Kagome was relocated, though she'd already gotten a couple small scrapes from the floating blades, realizing herself for the first time what they were and wincing as they collapsed in on the man she too had been fighting against if only for a few moments before her own eyes slid shut and she went limp against Byakuya, whose name she still didn't even know.

Byakuya stared silently at the woman, allowing his irritated blade to continue to dismantle the enemy on the ground. The now unconscious young girl was smaller than him, shorter, easy enough to hold up with one hand, and yet she had somehow gotten involved and crossed the barrier's that had been placed. He could still feel flashes of reiatsu from the other battles happening around him, sense the cut off of his own opponents pressure before Senbonzakura finished with him. Though he could see and feel no way out of this little world, so it seemed he was left to wait and contemplate the strange energy of the woman in his arms.

**End Chapter**

I feel better now. Killing that prick (even if it's only in fan fiction) makes me all warm and fuzzy. I can come up with other things to do if enough folks want me to continue; otherwise I'll probably leave it as a one shot.

_-Aura_

P.S. Reviews also make me feel warm and fuzzy


	2. Final Grains of Sand

**Chapter Two:** _**Final Grains of Sand**_

_The beauty of the soul shines out when a man bears with composure one heavy mischance after another, not because he does not feel them, but because he is a man of high and heroic temper._

_**-Aristotle**_

The energy around her was obviously strong, but there was a gentle caress to her reiatsu that reminded him of Unohana. Though her spiritual pressure was unrefined, it was a bit like Ichigo as well in that matter. She'd been trained a little but not much, and her abilities were not the same as a soul reaper given she was mortal. Perhaps she was like these members that had followed Tsukishima, humans with other abilities, but her spiritual pressure was higher than most, at least on the level of the felled Tsukishima.

Then, she began to stir again, it hadn't been that long so he assumed she'd only feinted from the use of so much power when she was clearly unaccustomed to it. He steadied her on her feet as she started, staring at him once she'd opened her eyes again.

"Not a dream then." Was Kagome's first comment, blinking at the man in front of her as she tried to piece together what happened but the battle seemed very broken and out of order in her mind. She saw the man getting surrounded before he leaped over Byakuya, then he nearly hit Byakuya but was hitting her. Her head ached and the shallow wound on her back burned. Balancing herself with the help of the man eyeing her she blushed a little.

"Um." She cleared her throat. "I'm ah Kagome. Who are you?"

"Byakuya Kuchiki." He said, leaving out his title and other information for the time being. If she didn't know much there was little reason to get her involved. "Are you well?"

"I'll be okay." Kagome said, her brain was still fuzzy but she was puzzling together what must have actually happened. "Um…who was that? Care to explain where we are? What's going on?"

"That man was Tsukishima, an enemy of the soul society." Byakuya stated after a moment of staring, it only seemed fair as she had interjected on his behalf. "This is a sub realm of sorts one of his minions created, I imagine it will withdraw when the others have finished their battles. As you found a way in, perhaps you will be able to find a way to exit as well."

"Well, I just sort of felt something happening near the college and I reacted." Kagome said, rubbing her hair uncomfortably. "I couldn't stand what that man was doing so I interjected…now it looks totally different than the alley I was in before."

"And what did you do?" As she seemed uncertain as to how to exit he settled to learning more about her, calling Senbonzakura back to it's sword form to slide the katana away.

"I called on my priestess powers to use holy energy." Kagome replied distractedly, staring at the reforming sword and then the hilt after he put it away. "How did you do that?"

"Senbonzakura is able to break apart into thousands of tiny blades.; each blade moving at my will to surround and entrap those that would stand against me." Byakuya replied. "You have not heard of the soul society before?"

She shook her head negatively, looking away from the sword to his neutral expression. He was still a difficult read, which was troubling as well, but she could feel he wasn't like normal people. Though she supposed his strange outfit would give that away regardless.

"So are you a ninja or samurai or something?" She finally asked, trying to be polite but having a smirk a bit at the idea.

"I am a soul reaper." Byakuya replied with a raised brow. Gray eyes considering her. "You have this sort of ability but you haven't felt us before now?"

"Well…I've noticed small things but this is the first time I just sort of walked up on a battle." Kagome replied with a small shrug of her shoulders. "You…how don't other people notice you?"

"We are spiritual creatures, unseen by most of the world. We only come here to help release the spirits of those trapped or to kill hollows – or spirits that have gone mad and refused to pass on." Byakuya explained, raising a brow again at her as she took a big step away from him suddenly.

Kagome had realized just how close she was to him after he'd steadied her and while they spoke and couldn't help but want to draw away a little. She smiled a little sheepishly at his expression. "Sorry, thanks for helping there…I didn't get in the way did I?"

"No." He shook his head negatively once, ignoring the black bangs in his face as he was accustomed to doing. "You stepped in to aid me; though I did not require help you were not a hindrance. If anything your interruption helped to fell him sooner. I imagine the other battles will be ending before long. I can't feel too many other clashes of spiritual energy."

"So…then you'll leave?" she couldn't help her frown, she wanted so much to find something like this and she didn't understand it but she knew she didn't want it to just disappear again.

"That is what we do. It is best if you do not become involved in our problems." Byakuya replied, he could hear the fear in her voice and given the strength she'd shown he wasn't certain just what was making her so nervous. "There are many people that protect those here in Karakura town with high spiritual energy but you should be careful."

"What do you mean?" Kagome frowned a bit, understanding the clear implication of danger. "Are there more like that man with the suspenders?"

"There are things other than people like that who would be interested in your abilities." Byakuya replied. "Hollows, other renegades that would want to use you for personal gain."

"But you just want me to not get involved?" Kagome asked, it was her turn to be skeptical. "I don't think that's likely."

"It isn't your decision. You are not a member of the soul society. We will protect you if we see something happening, but it is best that once this has passed that we part ways." Byakuya replied. "Perhaps you find it curious but you have a life of your own to deal with and no one that I've seen that becomes involves has an easy time."

"Does it look like I have a easy time as is?" Kagome frowned a little at being dismissed, though given the way he walked off to start looking at the walls for an exit she doubted he was going to discuss it with her.

_"Asshole."_ She thought at him, glaring daggers at his back a moment before stepping after him. Regardless of what came after this she didn't want to stay in this weird place forever, and was doing the best not to look at the pile of gore that had been left on the ground rather unceremoniously. She traced the wall and then blinked as part of it slid open, backing several steps from a corpse that had been cut in half and a large man stalking her way into where they were.

He had bells in his hair, which was made up into impossibly long spikes, a uniform like kimono similar to Byakuya's though the coat of it was much more tattered. His face and arms had several fading scars and there was a eyepatch over his left eye.

"Fuck, what took you so long Kuchiki, that was boring as hell. You should have traded with me." He said, looking over Kagome. "Who's she?"

"Kagome. Captain Zaraki Kenpachi." Byakuya gestured between them as he introduced them; his expression more dry than usual at the arrival of his fellow captain. "She is a mortal that happened upon us by mistake and got stuck somehow."

"Well, I am sick as hell of being here. You able to get us out Kagome?" Kenpachi asked, his voice and tone naturally gruff though he wasn't showing open aggression she could feel a bloodlust just beneath his surface that didn't really make her want to be best buds.

She edged a little closer to Byakuya as she shrugged. "I dunno…maybe…I just sort of touched the wall and it opened."

"Try tracing the wall carefully." Byakuya suggested, moving closer to her when she went to do so, if she repeated the process of opening walls then the next one could be more dangerous when it opened.

"I should have just fucking stayed back at the sereitei." Kenpachi complained as he fell into step. "This is all dull as shit."

"I'd think you were accustomed to being lost." Byakuya quipped in his usual neutral tone. "Not that I expect much from you."

"Yeah? Sure you able to see all that well with your nose so high in the air." Kenpachi replied to the noble. "You want to settle things I'm fine with it blue blood."

"You speak as if you could settle anything with me." Byakuya commented.

"Stop arguing. Aren't you on the same side?" Kagome sighed. "Men and their posturing…kill each other later when we're not stuc…"

She paused mid-phrase as another doorway shifted open in front of her. Uncertain what to think of the small boy in a similar uniform to the two with her and a blond kid not much older; the later of which was gaping at them.

"I like her." Kenpachi said with a smirk, moving past them both into the new room. "You ain't done with that piss ant yet Hitsugaya?"

"Killing him could collapse the whole sub world of his on us." The boy replied, taking the sudden appearance of the other two captains and bizarre girl fairly well.

"How…how did you get in here?" The blonde demanded with a angry edge to his tone. "I made the walls full proof…each portal is separate than the rest."

"Who cares? You keep whining and I'll take my chances with the world collapsing." Kenpachi commented at the kid. "You chose the wrong side, now shut up, your leader is a pile of flesh in there, now stop this shit."

Kagome frowned a bit at the phrasing, glancing at Byakuya but he was still standing near her just inside were the gateway had already vanished. There was an aloof sovereignty about him that left her wanting to stare though she knew she didn't have time just then; instead looking to the silver haired boy and the blonde that was shaking visibly.

"I…no…you couldn't have killed him. Tsukishima is much more powerful than you." The boy waved a hand and the wall behind them vanished, there was a great nothingness and in the distance the room where they had been could be made out. The spot of blood at it's center making Kagome turn away, she'd seen a lot of blood and gore in her days but she never liked to dwell or focus on it.

"No…" The blonde fell to his knees…staring into the distance and then glaring at Byakuya. "You were cut, how could you have possibly finished him?"

"You believe such a coward capable of doing me permanent harm?" Byakuya's tone was dripping with distain. "He ended the only way you could expect for such a deceiver."

"Yeah, too bad I didn't get him. I wouldn't have wasted so much time." Kenpachi laughed, appearing next to the blonde. "Just drop the shit kid, I'm not into crushing insects."

"Never." The blonde squared his shoulders at Kenpachi. "I'll never let you…"

He was interrupted by Kenpachi's jagged blade cutting through his body. Eyes going lifeless as blood spurt from his form. "I never said I wouldn't just that I don't like it."

Hitsugaya frowned as the world around them shuddered, about to comment, when the real world burst back into view around them. There was a park at the end of the alley and Kagome took off toward it, she could feel a burst of energy that was stronger than anything else she'd felt so far. She saw the buildings cracked and grit her teeth, desiring her bow now more than ever.

A strange man in a skeletal sort of armor appeared in the alley making her draw up short. He was staring at where the fleshy mass that was Tsukishima was on the ground. His gruff features obviously shocked, apparently he was with the opposite team, or at least most of the people not wearing kimono's seemed to be.

"Tsukishima…" He looked around and then focused on Kagome, moving toward her so quickly she couldn't react, no one else got there in time either. She felt the sword enter her chest and yet she knew she wasn't showing the pain so much as the shock on her face. The flow of blood down her chest was deceptively warm. She heard small calls around her, saw in slow motion as the blade was tugged back out of her chest a moment later. The man that had stabbed her vanished again. Her feet couldn't hold her but she was managing to stand because someone was holding her.

The man with the strange hairpieces and the unique charcoal grey eyes was looking at her sadly. It was the first time she could read them, though it was an inconvenient time to feel accomplished. He was talking but she couldn't really make it out, she was already fading, her eyes slowly covering with blackness. She managed a half smile, as if to tell them it was all right when it was anything but though she couldn't manage to form a sound, only coughing up a bit of blood before the black oblivion took her.

**End Chapter**

This is not the end of the story. Cliffhangers I do so adore though! Hehehe. I appreciate all the love I got. It's why I worked most of the day on and off when I had time to get this finished. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy – even if I didn't let Kagome feel the same way in this chapter.

-Aura

To my reviewers:

_Inuluvskag_ – Yeah, they are my fav crossover pairing. I love them.

_MoonPrincess1989_ – Well I think a day was pretty quick!

_Sugar0o_ – Aw there you are – I missed your r0oviews.

_DemonAngel17 _– Thanks so much. I hope you enjoy it as I work with it.

_KEdakumi_ – Well I hope you decide to stick with my story here.

_Martyna1_ - : )

_Angel_ – Yeah I hate Tsukishima – though I guess at least he's better eye candy than Aizen was he's the same character all over again. As I'm planning to take requests for my work for NaNoWriMo (detailed in my profile) I'll try to work on Kag's Well of Many Men soon.

_Sin _– yay fuzz!

_AFAmanda_ – Yeah they're my fav crossover couple…though I like putting Kags with lots of people.

_Anomy_ – Thanks

_Natsumi15_ – Thanks for the love it really makes me feel awesome


	3. Spiritual Tears

**Chapter Three:** _**Spiritual Tears**_

"_**Experience is the name every one gives to their mistakes."**_

_**-Oscar Wilde**_

Coming to consciousness was slow, and her stomach was growling at her as if a bodily alarm to wake her up. Kagome starting as she flew to sitting up, knocking the smooth sheet that was over her to the ground, the satin sliding off the fine bed she found herself in. She unbuttoned her uniform quickly, staring at her chest where she expected to see a large wound in her chest. There was nothing though, making her start to button it again slowly…with the realization she was in her uniform from high school…where had she done that? Why was she so hungry?

"You're awake." There had been a young person wearing a uniform similar to the ones she'd seen before she passed out.

'_Was it all just a dream?'_

That didn't seem likely. She just nodded a little, coughing a couple times.

"Sorry, sometimes it's a bit hard on people when they first come over." The man said.

"Come over?" Kagome blinked at him, frowning slightly, subconsciously rubbing her hand over her chest as she realized what he meant. "I'm dead?"

"Yeah, but the soul society isn't a bad place." He replied, smiling to her. "If Captain Kuchiki is helping you then you shouldn't have anything to worry about."

"Captain Kuchiki?" She asked blankly, a little numb at the fact that he'd just affirmed to her that she hadn't survived. Other than the hunger gnawing angrily at her stomach she felt mostly okay. A little light headed with the news, her chest was a little heavy, but as it'd had a sword through it she figured that was only fair. How on earth? Her poor family, mom, souta, grandpa…

"He's…he's really a just leader." The man at the door held his hands up when he noticed how watery her eyes were getting. "It's okay miss, I know it's hard but please don't cry. Do you need anything."

"Food…" Her reply was flat, neutral; she didn't know what else to say. She mostly wanted him to leave so she could lean back into the sheets and cry. Somehow, she'd gone seeking the one thing she wanted to feel alive again, and when she'd found it it killed her. Something about the whole thing felt like Fate was pointing and laughing at her.

She was still crying when he came back, she didn't move when he asked, she didn't see much point, finally saying. "Well I guess I'll come back in an hour, hopefully you'll feel better, I don't want to report anything to the Captain til you feel better."

After he'd left it took her a while but she managed to calm down and find tissues to blow her nose. Eating helped calm her too. She was starved and went through the traditional styled ramen and veggies in no time. She finished off the entire thing of tea as well, still hungry but at least it'd fallen to a dull ache instead of the painful growling it was before.

As much as she wanted to just lay back down she'd slept for a while and her body had a lot of energy for being dead. She instead explored her room and the adjoining bathroom, both a lot nicer than she expected. There was a nice garden styled area outside, also very old styled.

_"So am I in heaven then? He called it soul society…wait…didn't they call it soul society?"_ Kagome frowned as she thought back to the moments leading up to her demise. Byakuya had said they were from soul society and that she shouldn't get in their business. _"Guess he was right about knowing him being dangerous. I'd met him for five minutes and I died."_

She didn't recall or connect that he was actually Captain Kuchiki, though to be fair to her, she had been through a lot. A breeze caught her face and she found herself smiling lightly, it certainly wasn't what she was expecting of death. Though somehow she doubted it was heaven, the food wasn't nearly tasty enough and she was stuck in her high school uniform. She'd have to ask for one of those weird kimono things they wore.

"Kagome." The voice drew her attention away from the breeze and she stared quietly. The man that had been holding her when she died was right there. He had replaced whatever strange tasseled collar he'd been wearing with a long mint colored scarf. Otherwise he was much as she remembered, the pieces in his hair were worn differently than when she'd met him, but it was unmistakably him. She wasn't sure she'd ever forget the image of him sadly watching her as her life drained away.

"Byakuya…guess you were right. Should have stayed away." She commented, more bitter than she meant to be.

"The soul society is not a bad place…but you remember your life? Not all do." He explained his own question, eyes watching her, his silent regality neatly back in place.

"Probably better not to." She said with a sigh, trying to be a little nicer she forced herself to look back to him. "Do you?"

"I was born in soul society, like most noble families." Byakuya replied. "You will adjust with time. I will be allowing you to stay with the sixth squadron until a place is decided for you. If you were already hungry then you will have a fair amount of spiritual energy."

"Huh?" She looked at him blankly, he may as well have started quoting at her in binary for as well as she computed what had been said.

"It and many other things will be explained in time." He offered. "I have arranged a few people to teach you. Do you require anything?"

"Clothes?" Kagome asked. "I mean, I'd rather not run around in a uniform all day."

He considered her a long moment, as if she'd asked for something strange but nodded. "It can be arranged."

"Um. Can I just ask the others for simple stuff?" She got the feeling she was just wasting his time. "Nothing personal but this is just…"

She broke off, not having a word to put to the situation.

"I'll arrange for them to get you things or to let me know if you prefer." Byakuya stated. "I'll check on you next week."

Then he was already turned and vanished. Not that she raised a hand or voice to stop him. She knew she probably should thank him, but somehow she couldn't quite manage it. She was still too confused, angry, sad, bitter in general as to the fact that she was dead now and didn't really know much as to where she was. She had a lot of reason not to really want to talk to anyone and if he was somebody called Captain it seemed silly to waste his time with a bunch of questions that were probably simple.

She did manage to apologize to the poor boy when he returned a little later. Though he blew it off she did feel bad for her treatment still, making a mental note to try to make it up to him later.

"Well, you know I'm Kagome. What's your name?"  
"Vishin." He said with a nod. "I'm here to help you learn. It can be a little difficult to adjust."

"Did you die like me or were you born here like Byakuya?" Kagome figured she might as well start learning as soon as possible.

"I died, but I don't remember my past life. Most soul reapers don't. Aren't too many with spiritual pressure that do really. Maybe it was because you were with so many at the time." He shrugged some as if to say it was just a guess. "Captain Kuchiki and a few other noble families have children here but most people don't. It's hard even for the noble families I think from what I've studied of them."

"Oh." She nodded a little bit. "Will I always be so hungry?"

"You're still hungry?" Vishin looked surprised. "I can get you some more."

"Not right now." She shook her head despite wanting it. She wanted answers more. "Is everybody here hungry?"

"It's a matter of spiritual pressure. You tend to be hungrier the more energy you can call on. Though we have a lot of people hungry pretty often so kitchens stay open most of the time." Vishin answered politely, smiling a little at the chance to answer questions without her sobbing.

"Oh, I asked about getting new clothes and Byakuya gave me a weird look, why?" Kagome figured she should just go with what little she knew and grow from there.

"Well, most people appear with common clothes, or an outfit that was important to them in some way in life. Some representation of a time that they really loved usually; most people aren't quick to want to pass on that." Vishin answered, offering the same strange look Byakuya had.

"Oh." She nodded. "Well, I like it but it's just not very practical for me."

Vishin didn't press. "Feel free to go to the cafeteria when you are hungry if no one is here, I'll take you down there so you know where it is. Most of the chefs are pretty friendly. Try not to wander out of there, the library, or your rooms here. It's not good to get too busy or overloaded your first month or so. I know it will be hard but it's best not to dwell on the past. Your other life is over now, but you should be fine here, this is a good place."

"But not heaven?" She had to ask.

"Heaven is where the King and his family reside, and only those chosen by them to live there." Vishin recited as if he'd read the passage in a book often. "The Soul Society is a good place, but it isn't what many humans consider heaven. This is where people are for a while until they die here and are reborn again in the mortal world. There is a constant flow of energy between our worlds."

"So what are hollows?" She remembered hearing it.

"Hollows are souls that refused to pass on and need to be vanquished so they go to their sub realm of Hueco Mundo or they face the true judgment and get pulled into hell." He explained. "There are various levels of them but you don't really need to know them in detail. They are the natural enemies of the soul reapers."

"Whose job it is to cleanse souls to move them here or to kill the hollows?" Kagome sighed at remembering her conversation with Byakuya so clearly. It still only made the vaguest amount of sense.

"Yes." He nodded. "You know a lot for a new soul, were the others already training you?"

"Not really…I just talked a little before…" She paled a bit and stopped.

"I understand." He said, changing the subject. "The soul reapers are divided into thirteen squads under the general and work to protect the humans as well as the guards of the soul society itself should enemies come here. Captain Kuchiki is the Captain of the sixth squad."

"Wait…it goes General and then Captain? Aren't you missing a couple steps?" Kagome asked with a frown. She'd just sorta blown off one of the most powerful people in the world she lived in now? That was probably bad.

"No, it's General, Captain, Lieutentant, and then there are seated officers, ranking depending on various factors up to themselves, their power, and their captain. Above them are the office of forty-six and the royal family." Vishin continued to faithfully explain.

"What about noble families?" She had to ask.

"Generally noble families are considered to be the same as Captains or Lieutenants, though many times they are both as nobles have great spiritual pressure. Like Captain Kuchiki."

"Fair enough." Kagome nodded thoughtfully. "What about you, you work for squad six?"

"Yes, usually only the fourth squadron, the healing squadron, lends it's members out to other squadrons unless in times of emergency." He was smiling lightly again, apparently he enjoyed teaching. "As you obviously have spiritual pressure, I think they will ask if you would like to be trained as a soul reaper as well. Once you've had more time to adjust. Though I don't have time now, I have other duties, hopefully we can continue tomorrow. Stay well Kagome."

Then he was gone before she could protest, making her frown a bit. She would really have to get used to how fast they moved. Either way she was left with a lot to think about. They wanted her to be some strange warrior? She doubted she'd be any less of a clutz in death as she'd been in life, she couldn't picture swinging around a sword as they had. Though she was glad of the men she'd seen that Kenpachi hadn't been the one to take her in, just remembering him made her shudder lightly.

That's when she realized she could feel him, not nearby thankfully, but his presence was loud, obnoxious, and generally hard to miss. Screaming at some part of her mind that was clearing since she'd woke and ate. She could feel hundreds of essences, though very few that were as strong. Another closer one was more refined, more held in, but still quite impressive she recognized as Byakuya. There was a cooler, comfortable feel to it, more familiar than she liked. Maybe because he'd been the one keeping her, she couldn't know for sure.

It was a odd, but natural sort of extension of her senses. Like a strange sense of extended spiritual hearing or smell that told her where things were and what they were like when it came to other such creatures. She had to smile a little, that was something that was so new, and reminded her a little of when she could sense the jewel shard, that she couldn't help but like it. Perhaps one life was over, but another was just beginning. She knew it wouldn't be easy, but she'd never loved her normal mortal life, so perhaps she just should have been careful what she wished for. She may have just gotten it.

**End Chapter**

This chapter is shorter than I originally wanted but that's where I wanted to end it – and I also needed sleep. Either way, it's chugging right along!

_-Aura_

To my reviewers:

_Neo-crystal_ – Yeah well, now it's more dead/dead than alive/dead. Though still sort of creepy when you think of it that way.

_Sushilover20_ – Think I got this up fairly quick : )

_Natsumi15 _– Yeah my fav crossover couple for sure!

_Amaterasu _- : )

_MoonPrincess1989_ – Hope I give you more to read at work, work always sucks.

_Arabloodlust_ – Updated!

_Ayjah_ – Yeah a little bit. Silly Kagome going to investigate.

_Anonymous_ – Um, I've always written like this. This is how my teacher taught us when I was in school. It doesn't read wrong to me so hard for me to edit it out the way you'd like I'm afraid.

_Death marininja_ – Dead, only soul society dead though so not too bad.

_Sugar0o_ – hehe, well I appreciate the stalking, and yeah poor Kags didn't make it.

_Angel_ – I try to get stuff up when I have time/inspiration for working on it.

_Sin of the Fallen_ – Ganju. That prick. At least I think that's his name in the series.

_KEdakumi_ – True, less worried about real life classes. Though she still has teachers and things to learn. Guess that's true wherever you end up.


	4. Midnight Escort

**Chapter Four:** _**Midnight Escort**_

"_The moments of happiness we enjoy take us by surprise. It is not that we seize them, but that they seize us."_

_**-Ashley Montaqu**_

Kagome looked out her window when Vishin turned away giving a speech on one of the historical moments of some other noble family she couldn't manage to give a shred of interest for. She was incredibly bored. She actually couldn't remember a time she felt more disinterested in a topic than over the past week. The first day or two were interesting, trying to take in all the names and what the various squads did, how they were set up, what they did for the soul society and the mortal world. Now, it was seemingly unending lessons on the central fourty-six and how they were still choosing a new council after recent events had left the previous one dead.

Some guy named Aizen that dressed up as Mothra seemed to be the long story short for Kagome. There were normal people, still living ones, with spiritual energy like she had once possessed that had helped to kill him. One of them was a substitute soul reaper, a human with the same powers as the dead…which somehow just made her a little bitter that she died to come here. Overall, the week had worn on her and now she just was hoping the torment would end so she could get a moment to relax.

Vishin was a nice guy, he meant well, but he was trying to keep her busy so she wouldn't have time to dwell on the fact that she'd died. Which he'd done a fabulous job of, she'd barely had a moment to herself in which to dwell on anything. Though now that the sun was starting to set in the distance he would be done with his discourse soon and release her for dinner and a little time to herself before she would sleep before starting early again the next morning.

Steadily he was making her view soul society as a more watered down version of hell than heaven. She hadn't had any chance to work with her powers more which was what she'd really wanted to do, it was all just lessons, lessons, speeches, reciting the previous lessons, then more lessons. It was like some fantasy death spirit version of cram school, with less tests and more constant talking.

"Kagome!" He called!

She jumped as he rapped her desk with his sheathed zanpaktou the way school teachers used to use a ruler. Glancing back to him sheepishly, knowing she'd been caught daydreaming instead of paying attention – for as nice as he was he didn't allow much room for negligence.

"Sorry sorry." Kagome held up her hands as she apologized. "It's been nothing but this for a week, I'm just not sure how much more my brain can take."

"We've been at this for six days." Vishin replied, glancing at some calendar on a clipboard he'd taken to carrying like a crutch. "Though I suppose I can let the lapse go as it's nearly dinner and we're close to the end of the day. You are getting more distracted though as the days go on."

"Nothing personal Vishin." Kagome said honestly. "This stuff is about as interesting as chewing glass, and possibly more painful. It's hard not to let my eyes glaze over to be honest. I thought I'd be learning to use my abilities not just studying a bunch of history. Some of it's cool, don't get me wrong, but overall I'm not sure how much more of it I can take before I try to turn myself into a hollow so you'll put me out of my misery."

"Our lessons are nearly complete." Vishin commented, barely smiling at her comments. "I remember feeling the same way myself when I was in the academy, but you are doing well. Better than many, just stick with your studies and I should be able to approve you for other lessons soon. Let's go get some dinner."

"Thank goodness." She said with the most enthusiasm she'd felt in hours. Perking up at the idea of food, and bouncing out her door before he could follow, taking a deep breath as she dashed out of her room and toward the cafeteria.

It was the same path, she'd learned it well in the week she'd been here, though considering she was still only allowed in the cafeteria, the library, the small central garden, and her room, she was quite ready and willing to move on. It was starting to feel more like prison than anything else, she was actually planning to sneak out to explore later when Vishin left for the night. Several nights of watching how things worked and she was confident she would be able to sneak around the few members of the squad on duty at the late hour.

Food was good, she always enjoyed food, generally taking more than she ever ate in life. She was developing a personal secret adoration for the cooks and chefs. They kept her from feeling like she was starving if she visited for a midnight snack. Today it was fairly busy, though most people waved not too many people actually talked to her much. Vishin sat with her once he'd caught up and gotten his own food. Sometimes other members would sit with them but more often they did not.

When she'd asked about it Vishin had just shrugged and pushed it off to protocol. When she asked the chefs, one had murmured something about people being too afraid to try getting close to the Captain's ward. She'd intended to speak to Byakuya about that, but she'd only seen him once since the last time they spoke and he was walking opposite her in the garden area. There'd been so much space between them it had seemed rude to yell though now she was slowly building up to having a lot to say to him. Leaving her all stuffed in a corner trying to bleed her brain to force in information wasn't doing him any favors in the caretaker department as far as Kagome was concerned.

Though as they ate she wasn't allowed much more time to deliberate on what she would say or do when she saw Byakuya again. Vishin, meals or not, was a relentless tutor, he began asking her questions over what he'd taught her both today and in days past. The verbal quiz passed the time quickly and before she knew it he'd wished her goodnight and she was back in her room. In twenty minutes or so she could sneak out and study for a bit in the library before coming back and doing the more exciting venture of seeing more than four rooms of the complex.

She had successfully evaded the guards and was walking along the passages silently, quickly realizing that this place all looked a lot the same. The traditional styled buildings and hallways, the doors were all closed and there very few windows so her exciting evening of spying outside of her regular allowed area was becoming more dull than interesting after about ten minutes of wandering quietly in areas that all looked about the same.

The lighting was kept low this late into the evening so she was glad she'd planned her wandering on a night when the moon was full, but as she wandered back toward where she thought she'd left her room, she started to realize that she was not doing so well.

_"Great."_ Kagome thought at herself in frustration. _"Here I am some wonderful ninja, sure no one caught me but now I got myself lost."_

Another twenty minutes of wandering and she was getting more nervous, she continued to evade patrols mostly by pretending to be tired and somewhere she belonged if one did see her. Thus far it was working and she had to pat herself on the back silently for her strategy, even a small win while failing at navigation was something. Though she was quickly starting to think she should just ask someone to help lead her back to her room as the minutes continued to tick by, she was going to need to sleep soon if she didn't want to get lots of the stink face from Vishin tomorrow.

When she did finally see a door slightly ajar, a thin ray of illumination making a line on the path, she was relieved. Thinking she'd finally found her way back she opened the door up and was two steps inside when her eyes adjusted to the gentle light and she noticed that she was not actually in her room.

The room she'd walked into was lined with bookshelves, though it wasn't the library she was used to, there were no stacks in the middle of the floor. Though a dozen or so feet into the room there was a desk, behind it on the wall a window, and sitting at the desk staring at her with a vaguely surprised expression was Byakuya.

His hair was down out of the pieces that normally kept it up; Kensaiken Vishin had called them whenever she'd continued to call them barrettes. Apparently Captains and noble leaders don't appreciate their hair fashion being compared to young mortal girls. She wasn't really in the mood to point it out as he was likely to be displeased with her. For all the times she'd thought it over in her mind, for the many things she had to say to him and all the stuff she wanted to get off her chest she couldn't quite manage to give voice to it while standing in what she assumed was his office.

"I got lost…" She finally commented lamely.

"You shouldn't be wandering this late." He replied, his expression schooled back into the cool neutrality he normally wore once he started to speak. "How often have you been sneaking off?"

"Just today, I was so excited about getting out from the normal four rooms that I went too far before I thought to turn back." Kagome replied tiredly, stifling a yawn. Not actually that worried, it's not like she'd actually hurt anything other than her pride. "Anyone ever tell you this whole place looks the same? Probably more at night with all the doors closed."

Bykauya barely gave a half-smile at that. The complete lack of concern from the girl did slightly amuse him. He would have to remember to punish Vishin later for failing to get a proper guard. "It is best you are here, I've been meaning to ask you how you are adjusting. Everyone treating you well?"

"As well as I can I suppose." Kagome said, still a little sad at the idea of being dead regardless of if she felt dead or not. "Everyone's nice, Vishin is trying very hard to shove every possible fact into my brain though it's sort of all getting a little dull. I'm ready to be doing other things. He said I might start training with my abilities soon."

"Likely." Byakuya nodded to her. "I will speak with him tomorrow and see what his assessment of your studies is. Do you require an escort back to your room?"

"I'd rather not get lost again." Kagome offered a nod at the offer. "I was going to ask a guard but I thought this was my room."

"No need. A walk will do me some good." He set the quill down, rubbing his writing hand as he got up to walk over to her. "I'm told you seem to like to eat."

Kagome blushed a bit more, falling into step behind him as he began to lead the way. "Well everyone likes to eat. Besides, I'm always hungry. I'm dead so I shouldn't get fat right? Should I diet?"

Byakuya listened to her concerns, noting she would probably worry about such mortal things for some time yet. Though recognizing her hunger as something more than she yet seemed too. Captain's learned to control the ravenousness that accompanied spiritual ability over time, though he still had good meals himself he didn't think about it as much as he had as a teenager. Though it made him wonder as to how great her potential really was. He'd gotten a bit of lip from Kenpachi for taking her in, but General Yamamoto had sided with the sixth squad captain as the one to be in charge of at least her initial training.

"You will be fine. It is natural to be hungry when you have spiritual energy." Byakuya replied finally. "It is good to hear you are adjusting so well so quickly."

"You think so?" Kagome asked, looking over one of the larger gardens she hadn't seen much before as they walked, glad to still have a bit of a moment out. "Do you think I can wander further than four rooms then?"

"Seems you do that already." He commented.

The reply made her stay the nice shade of pink she already was. "Well, I was bored, and really, I don't know why I need to know all the 46 names of the council anyway, it's not like I'll probably ever meet them."

"He's already drilling you on the council?" Byakuya glanced over a shoulder at her. "If he's that far then you are likely ready for other training. I'll have him escort you to the fields for it tomorrow."

He paused in front of her door, opening it for her. It hadn't actually been that long of a walk.

"Really!" Kagome had to bring her voice down an octive after she started saying it, obviously excited. She hugged him after he turned, very shortly, not noticing the short shocked expression she'd earned. "Thanks, that's great! I'll do my best. Good night."

Then she was in her room and had closed the door without the slightest idea that she'd left Byakuya staring a long moment at it after her. Able to make her out moving around in the bright light she usually kept in her quarters. He shook his head then at the odd girl his squadron had taken in and walked back toward his office, pushing his mind back onto court business as opposed to the very confusing mortal girl.

**End Chapter**

I thought the mini glomp from Kags was too cute to pass up. Byakuya doesn't know what he's getting himself into! Training next chapter! This chapter should take me to 10k words woot!

_-Aura_

To my reviewers:

_Twinklefeather_ – It's possible other folks will show up. I know at least a few (though I won't give specific names) will for sure.

_ShiTwukisama_ – Ha done!

_Tohru78_ – Thanks, my fav crossover pair!

_Lovelywitch_ – Well, sometimes you gotta just jump right in. In Kagome's case it wasn't a happy beginning but hopefully it'll be a happy ending.

_Neo-Crystal_ – I have a few ideas as to what I could do with a 3rd part for A Tale of Two Souls but I'm not willing to start it just yet. I want to brainstorm more first and see how current events in the manga pan out with the Aizen copy. Far as demons and things, not sure completely yet but I do have some plunnies jumping around my head.

_Ayjah_ – Thanks, I try to make at least some parts where folks can smile.

_MoonPrincess_ – Hope this one helps too!

_AnimeFreakAmanda_ – And Another!

_Evil RULZ_ – Hope you keep enjoying.

_Sushilover_ – Well they got her other clothes, but to be fair she did run all over the feudal era in that uniform she must love it!

_Angel_ – Yeah there was good reason.

_Sin of the Fallen_ – Yeah, no vengeful Kagome in this one. I have another fic where she's all 'rawr vengeance'.


	5. Bite Out of Spirit

**Chapter Five:** _**Bite Out of Spirit**_

"_Jealousy is both reasonable and belongs to reasonable men, while envy is base and belongs to the base, for the one makes himself get good things by jealousy, while the other does not allow his neighbor to have them through envy."_

_-Aristotle_

Kagome was excited as she waited at the edge of the practice field. Other members of squad six were finishing up their afternoon spars or targeting with magic and it was as interesting to watch something so new after her week of enforcing cramming of every possible fact about the court guard squads. She figured most of it she wouldn't actually hang onto but for now it was still fresh enough that she could survive if dropped in the middle of the Sereitei. It was amazing how quickly they could move, most of the battles she could barely follow and a few she couldn't at all. People using magic to summon fiery balls of energy to usually hit the targets across from them, or other mystical means also attracted her attention. She'd been here for about an hour but she was delighted to wait here instead of in her room. Vishin had left her with strict orders not to wander off but she had more than enough to watch that it wasn't much of a problem for her.

Once the regular practices were over Byakuya (always referred to as Captain Kuchiki by Vishin) would be here to do a basic testing of her abilities to see what sort of classes for training to put her with. She had hoped all her lessons would be with him personally but it was only reasonable he would be too important and busy to spend much time with her alone. Vishin had described it as 'an honor' that he was the one assessing her abilities at all.

She had to sigh, she owed it to him to do what she could to make up for his kindness. Dead or otherwise, he'd held her while she took her final breaths, he'd taken her in when she could have gotten stuck with someone else; like that scary Kenpachi or the young kid Hitsugaya she'd of never been able to take seriously. He was like nine, she would have a hard time taking orders from a nine year old.

Distracted, she never saw the haphazard ball of fire heading her way, it wasn't until the cries of shock that she noticed she'd been moved at all. The events catching up to her moments after they occurred, she realized a red haired main with a spiky ponytail had caught her at the last moment and used one of those flash steps (that's what Vishin had called them) to move her to safety. She blinked in surprise at the burned out area she'd been rescued from and blushed a little.

"Uh thanks."

He winked at her with a impish grin; making the odd tattoos on his face all the more obvious. Then that expression faded into something more serious and he turned back to the field. "Okay who shot that? That was way out of the normal field. You're looking at lots of extra cleaning duty!"

His voice had turned serious and he was glaring slightly as he looked over the embarrassed and uncomfortable troops that were glancing between each other. No one was taking the blame in the group though.

"Fine, ten extra hours this week for all of you. The captain should appereciate how clean the barracks will be." He turned away from the moans of protest and back to Kagome, not listening to the rest anymore. "Don't worry about them. The young ones are always a handful until they really start to get a grip on their own abilities. I'm Abarai Renji, Lt. of sixth squadron here. I'll be helping the Captain with his assessment. Glad I came by early. Kagome right?"

She nodded to him. "Yes, I'm glad you came early too."

"Well, you'd of survived but it wouldn't have been comfortable. I've been hit by my own errant casts in the past. Don't worry too much I'm sure you'll get along fine." He ruffled her hair. "I'm gonna help people get things put away so things will be ready when the Captain arrives."

Just like that Renji wandered off again. Kagome took several more steps away from the magic field just to be safe even if they weren't still working. She was willing to chance possibly getting set on fire again so she found a safer distance to wait while things were cleaned up. Renji barking orders and moving people along more quickly then they seemed adjusted to got the whole place in a neat order very quickly. They were leaving and offered bows to Byakuya as he approached. Kagome had to smile some. He was so regal, hair blowing back with the gorgeous mint colored scarf, the same fabric worked into gloves on his hands that had small similarly colored jewels in them. It's taken her a few times before she first noticed the gloves, but she had to say she liked the accents, they made him stand out so much than the rest of the soul reapers.

"So…what do you want me to do?" Kagome asked, grinning away as she walked up, glad to be doing something else again today. It was feeling less hellish now that she got to get out, even though she'd nearly been burned only a few moments before.

"Well, she sure is eager to please." Renji said with a laugh as he came back from releasing the troops and giving details to their squad leader as to the extra duties they would have.

"You said you use a bow before. Though generally soul reapers use swords, you haven't developed yours yet. It's likely you're still too new to our world." Byakuya explained in a teaching matter of fact sort of tone. "However, I saw you call upon and focus your energy before. I'd like you to that again for me now."

He gestured to where Renji was setting up one of the targets for her. Keeping his expression very carefully neutral as they interacted, he wasn't sure what to think of the girl, but he knew he owed her. If he had moved faster he'd of saved her, his failure to do so left him responsible for her. Either her or Renji, or possibly a borrowed Rukia would be helping her with all one on one training she would need.

"Good to go." Renji had relocated closer to them, and away from where he could be caught on accident which made Kagome smile a little. She was unaware of Byakuya's internal monologue and instead focused her gaze on the target. It would have been easier with a bow but she closed her eyes a moment and could feel the power gathering around her.

She waited a few seconds then opened her eyes and focused on the target, the light flashing in her hand before it shot across and decimated the target by hitting just beneath it as opposed to the target itself. Though it incinerated much of the wall and the target itself was destroyed it wasn't actually a clear hit. Kagome snapped her fingers at the miss. "Dang it."

"Captain?" Renji was shocked at the display. "That's like the reports from when the Quincy fought Captain Kurotsuchi…just like the recording."

Kagome just looked at them blankly, not seeming to know what they were talking about. But Byakuya nodded lightly. "Yes it does seem to be akin to that. Kagome you'll need to be careful how much you draw on power."

He gestured lightly to the nearby wall, missing pieces it had a moment ago Kagome looked at it and back to Byakuya with a confused expression. "What?"

"The wall, when you drew your power it took particles from the spiritual energy holding the walls form. For whatever reason you naturally draw on the world around us to use your ability, which means we'll have to arrange for you to practice someplace away from the sixth squadron grounds or the Sereitei in general." Byakuya explained. "I'll see about getting the footage from Captain Kurotsuchi to show you. It's the most similar thing I've seen to what you did just now."

"I'm sorry." Kagome frowned a little as she realized the damage to the wall was her fault. It looked strange, like pieces of the wall had just broken of or if they were a video game as if blocks had been deleted from the overall picture. "I don't mean to be trouble."

"It's fine, I just don't want to destroy the grounds…it just will take a little more thought for future sessions. I'd rather not see the largest amount of energy you can take in just now. Though I would like to see how little you can draw and still shoot if you don't mind?" Byakuya asked.

"I can, but I don't really want to hurt anything else." Kagome said hesitantly, glancing at the wall with a frown.

"We'll get it repaired." Byakuya waved his hand lightly. "Just don't draw on more power than absolutely needed. Then next time we train we'll head to some of the deserts outside of the districts."

Renji had vanished to set up another target. Kagome nodded to Byakuya. "I think I can try at least. It's hard sometimes to regulate it, I haven't actually gotten to practice much with it. It's easier when I have a bow."

"Renji can get one of those from the armory while you take this shot." Byakuya replied, Renji rolling his eyes when Byakuya wasn't looking his way at the orders. Winking at Kagome again which helped her to relax a little, smiling lightly again.

"Remember, as little energy as you can take in."

Kagome nodded, facing the target a second time and closing her eyes this time to relax, to do her best to push away her worries and concerns. Opening them to focus again on the distant circle she was trying to hit. Slowly calling to her ability and then shooting a moment later. Though the tiny ball of light she summoned fell to the ground only a few feet in front of her and put up a small wisp of smoke from the dirt when it hit.

"Well that was not what I expected." Kagome commented with a sigh. "Well, that was as little as I could call on. Don't laugh."

Byakuya had barely smiled at the scene, which was about the same as laughing to the often stony Captain of Squad Six. Though her protest only got him to smile a bit more. "It is good, when you call on that little you do no damage to the surroundings. Which leads me to believe we can train you to sense how you are drawing your energy and how much. So you won't do such damage to the soul society in the future."

"Uh huh." Kagome said skeptical as to the reason he was smiling very obviously. Accepting the bow from Renji when he returned. "Thanks."

"Just helping out bull's-eye." Renji said, grinning like a Cheshire cat. He had also seen her small ineffective attack. "Tearing up the ground."

Kagome stuck her tongue out at him. Drawing an arrow and then pausing. It was the first time she'd picked one up in a while and that lead her to memories of the first time she used one and inevitably to her adventures in the feudal era. Well, long lost to her now weren't they? She looked about to cry she was certain when Renji interrupted.

"Look it's not actually that bad, we all have to start somewhere Kagome. Just do your best okay?" He looked apologetic and that made her feel rather impish and she just nodded at him sadly. Playing up the other reason he'd given though it wasn't true. Even death hadn't made her ready to talk about everything she still felt she'd lost.

"Are you up to taking a shot?" Byakuya asked, and it was obvious he was giving a disapproving stare to Renji, who'd shut up.

"Yeah." She nodded, pushing aside her memories of Inuyasha and the rest of her old friends as she aimed, her arrow hit the target, it wasn't blank center, but the energy around it did burn a nice mark into it before the arrow itself fell.

"Huh…" Renji nodded. "That could actually be pretty useful…but we may want to see if the Quincy will consider training her."

"That seems unlikely, but see if Rukia will look into it tell her to go ahead. I think we're done here for the moment. I will have to consider how to have her trained. I may need to be more personally involved than I originally believed. You may need to take on more responsibilities for the Squadron if I have to escort her well away from here for such a thing."

Kagome frowned as he started talking like she wasn't there. _"Thanks for the consideration, I'd love to be taken out to the middle of no where to train. Sure, love that you asked."_

"Okay sir, I'll get on it as soon as possible. Do you think you'll be heading to one of your family estates? So we can stay in contact." Renji asked, smiling some at the look on Kagome's face, a decent read of people when they weren't Rukia.

"It's possible, I'll get you more information when it's available. For now we're done. Kagome feel free to hang onto that quiver and bow. I'll have extra brought whenever a place is decided." Byakuya commented. "Good night."

She was about to say something again but he and Renji both vanished and she just cursed instead, they'd left her to find her way back on her own. So unfair!

**End Chapter**

Hehe, gotta love these two. Such a good couple for crossover! Really like working with them. I think I love Kagome/Byakuya more than Kagome/Sesshy (*gasp*) though both are awesome.

_-Aura_

To my reviewers:

_Zemmiphobia_ – Sorry she's dead, I just am used to Byakuya thinking of her as human after my other story. I'll try to keep those references to a minimum in the future. Thanks for pointing it out.

_Wicken25 _– So much to say! Well she hasn't been trained with a blade in regards to this fic but I think I still managed to come up with something to shock those watching. Yeah, I figure her sensory skills would be awesome with all her years of working as a jewel detector.

_Angel_ – Well it was simple for now cause otherwise you know, absorbing buildings for practice is troublesome.

_AnimeFreakAmanda_ – Hehe well I have lots to keep on with NanoWriMo and all. Between my various updates I'm only barely keeping up with my number need for the month! Hard work it is!

_Evil RULZ_ – Ty Ty, I was very happy with the mini glomp. I never glomped him before in a fic so it was new!

_Sugar0o _– Well, figure all that spiritual energy she has to be hungry a lot!

_MoonPrincess1989_ – Glad I could help!

_Ayjah_ – It's in with true anime style.

_ShiTsukisama_ – Glad you are enjoying it so far. Hope you continue to do so.

_Sin of the Fallen_ – Yeah well it was cute at least!


	6. Veiled Insults

**Chapter Six:** _**Veiled Insults**_

"_Comfort zones are most often expanded through discomfort."_

_**-Peter McWilliams**_

Riding in a carriage was much more uncomfortable than Kagome had occasionally pictured when she romanticized about it when thinking of Inuyasha at times and things they might eventually get to do together. She'd always thought it was bumpy riding on his back but he'd been graceful and swift enough that it was much smoother than the current travel was. She was riding with Vishin, who was coming along to continue her studies in the completely uninteresting aspects of soul society. All in all it was a generally miserable trip, here she'd hoped to finally escape this tedium and she was trapped with it on a very uncomfortable coach ride up a mountainous path.

Apparently they were headed to one of the many vacation homes of the Kuchiki clan. One rarely used, and very remote, both largely things Byakuya and Renji had talked about needing to train her. The landscape had been nice at the bottom of the forest around the mountains but it was very clear here, as if nothing living usually came. It gave her nothing to look out the window at as an excuse to ignore the blather pouring from her teacher's mouth.

She knew she should care, that it was probably important, but she just couldn't bring herself to. She'd managed to mostly adjust to the idea that she was dead, and yet still existing as a spirit, it gave her hope she might be able to see her family again. Things weren't over even after many would consider them over. Still, she'd been through a lot, and this wasn't at all what she'd wanted out of something new and exciting. So she spent the trip doing more memorizing of names and positions with Vishin. She had enough time to actually get further along and by the time they reached the large building built into the side of the mountain itself she was glad to see anything.

It was plain but after that ride she thought it was exceptionally beautiful and was quick to state such and duck inside while Vishin tried to continue the lesson. The guy was impossible to avoid forever but she'd be able to excuse herself for a little while. A few servants came out and got luggage, moving it inside, though when they informed her that the master had already arrived she had to raise both brows. He wasn't due to leave until an hour after they did.

"How, what? Are you sure?" Kagome asked with a scowl, whatever he'd done to avoid the carriage ride, she was pretty angry he hadn't shared.

"Of course my lady." The servant nodded to her. "He is in his study, he wanted to see you when you arrived. Would you like me to show you to your rooms first?"

"Yes." Vishin answered before she could and she just nodded. Not wanting to rock the boat, not sure if she wanted to irritate the help on her first day there. She followed through long dark halls, only lit by some flickering candlelight here and there.

_"A billion vacation homes and he had to choose the one that looked like a haunted crypt."_ Kagome thought nervously as she followed through the stone halls, their footsteps echoing around them.

The place was actually very clean, all stone, simple except for hangings in the larger rooms, the halls though were very bare. Her room was larger than the one afforded to her at the barracks and quite fine. She was left to freshen up, at least there was a bathroom, though how they managed running water she didn't want to ask about. She freshened up and with Vishin taking forever as he decided he wanted to organize his books she picked up the candle they'd left her and wandered down the hall.

Thankfully she didn't have to go far to find a lit room, otherwise she probably would have gotten lost again. For all her sense of spiritual energy she still had a horrible time following it if it wasn't very nearby, it tended to overpower her and confuse her senses more than help so she hadn't used it much. She came to a room with actual carpet, lush and thick so obviously expensive. There were bookshelves along the walls, a desk, several comfy looking chairs and other fancy furniture. She saw Byakuya at a table, his usual uniform and scarf on and she smirked some.

_"Figures he'd spend all his time reading."_

"You can come in." His sudden comment, even though it wasn't loud, made her jump anyway as this place was normally very quiet. She could have sworn he barely smirked at her a moment when he glanced up. "How was your trip?"

"Awful." Kagome answered honestly, stepping inside and looking around at the books, she was curious what he read, but most of it seemed to be history books. "If you had a quicker way of getting here without the torture I'd of liked to have known."

"Vishin can't be that horrible, he's one of the best tutors in the Sereitei." Byakuya said, looking up and putting a ribbon along his book as a mark. "I used flash step to get here ahead of you. You wouldn't have been able to make it such a distance even if you had already been trained in the ability."

_"Thanks for the faith." _Kagome thought and commented. "It was still horrible, how much longer do I have to learn that stuff. I thought you said I was done with it."

"Vishin expressed the desire to have you work with him for longer as you've taken a lot of information in quickly. He wants to be certain you maintain it." Byakuya replied. "You'll manage. Dull as it is, all knowledge is important."

"Yeah, somehow I doubt you know the thirty-second seat of the council of forty-six…" Kagome muttered. _"Who the hell thought – yeah forty-six, that's the best number ever, lets have half a hundred worthless members to make people memorize."_

"Shinji Karari." Byakuya answered, and she could only assume he was right.

"You need more of a life." Kagome replied before she could stop the words in her mind from popping out of her mouth. "Don't you do anything other than read, do paperwork, and practice with shinigami stuff?"

His brows raised a bit at her direct comments but it only took him a moment to school his face to it's usual neutral expression. "I have other hobbies yes. I have to teach you for example. I had thought we could wait after the day of travel but you seem rather energetic so why don't we get started."

Kagome nodded at that, keeping herself from wincing once she realized she must have irritated him, that was a pretty harsh comment after all, even from her. "Sure, you have the bow and arrows?"

"There are things that have been prepared above at the training field. It's a little far away but needed as I'd rather you not absorb pieces of my home." He said, rising from his seat and walking to the door, leading her as she moved after him. "It will be a walk, would you care to take the carriage?"

"No, I've been sitting all day." Kagome said with an immediate shake of her head. "Let's walk, it'll be nice to get out of this place, it's sort of dungeon like."

Byakuya looked around and back at her, obviously not agreeing but moving on past the veiled insult, continuing to walk toward the door that would lead them outside. "We'll pick up your weapon on the way out. No one should know we came out this way and we're far enough from the Soul Society now that you shouldn't draw too much attention from here or cause any damage that matters."

"Good." She nodded, whatever was happening she didn't want to hurt things, and as much as Byakuya frustrated her sometimes she had to admire him and didn't want to harm his home – even if it did look like a dungeon.

After a few miles of walking uphill she was starting to slow down. Yet there was still quite a bit of the path left. She took a deep breath and asked. "How far did you mean exactly?"  
"We still have sometime to walk." Byakuya answered.

"Well what about teaching me how to flash step?" Kagome asked as she continued to follow, figuring that would be better than walking for eternity.

"You haven't even manifested a zanpaktou, flash steps don't come until after you've trained in the basics of using your weapon." The Captain replied easily. "We'll get there, we have no reason to hurry. It is good for you to get out, I should have set up a training regiment when you were at the barracks if you are this out of shape."

Kagome glowered. "I'm not out of shape, I just don't spend every waking moment training or reading. Besides, sort of unfair to point out I don't even have a zanpaktou and expect me to just keep up."

_"Course I guess I should have had Inuyasha carry me less."_ She thought but didn't add out loud. "This is going to take all night."

"Would you rather get back to working with Vishin?" Byakuya asked, glancing back at her, noting that she did look fairly tired and slowing his pace slightly. She'd been jogging lightly at times to keep up with him. Perhaps she was right about him needing to take it a little easier on her. He didn't want her to consider him a weak leader either however, so there was a medium he would need to adjust to with her.

"Well, I guess it's better than that." Kagome allowed, taking the olive branch he silently offered by at least slowing down. "Are all the things Vishin says about you true?"

"I'd think that depends on what he says."

"Are you one the most powerful creatures on the planet?"

"I'd say the Captains are the most powerful in Soul Society at least, though various Captain's are at different levels of skill. The General Yamamoto is the most capable of all of us."

"Are you the second best with flash steps out of everyone?"

"Second best?" He asked, making a mental note to speak to Vishin later. "I am quite able with flash steps."

"He says you're pretty amazing with Kido and fighting too." Kagome commented, still following. "Is it just all the endless training?"

"I have trained very hard to get where I am, but as a member of the Kuchiki clan I was always destined to have an incredible amount of spiritual pressure and aptitude. It is often as much a part of being in a noble house as breathing is for humans." He replied, not meaning to be a narcissist but still managing to pull it off.

"Right." Kagome nodded a little, feeling a little out of her league. The more time she spent with Byakuya, the less comfortable she felt about bringing up issues that had seemed important before but suddenly turned minor once she was next to him. He had a certain regal grace that commanded attention, in all honesty his attitude and mannerisms reminded her of Sesshomaru so much she wondered if perhaps he wasn't the dead version of the demon lord from the feudal era.

The thought made her giggle, somehow she figured Sesshomaru would be ready to gut her for making such a comparison. It was the first time she laughed, even lightly, and actually felt good in a while. It was better that she got to ignore Byakuya's curious glance at her sudden outburst, knowing he wouldn't push her on it. Almost freeing in a way to actually enjoy herself even if her legs ached and her side was starting to hurt. It was rather unfair that even though she was dead her body still got tired so easily-one would think that wouldn't be applicable any longer.

"Why are you teaching me?" She asked then, her moment of jubilance coming to an end as she thought about it. "Don't you have other people that could, like Renji. Aren't you too important?"

It was harsh she supposed to put it that way, but it was direct, and Kagome had always been a little too much of that.

"You are a unique case amongst many. You have spirtiual pressure on level with a seated member of the squadrons and you haven't even manifested a blade yet. Perhaps you will or won't be able to harness that natural potential but you would have been assigned a Captain regardless. I volunteered because it seemed the most efficient manner in which to have you transition as we'd already spoken before your death." Byakuya explained in his usual cool manner, his neutral tone dismissing her original impression that he did it from the kindness of his heart as opposed to what was logical.

Then she'd spoken a bit to Vishin. A powerful new member of his squadron was the reason her teacher had offered her and she had to admit that seemed the most likely in this case. If he trained her personally then she couldn't reflect badly on him to anyone else as well, it was likely more that than anything else. Though she knew she shouldn't care why, she didn't need to be considering her Captain like that, perhaps she didn't have the most militaristic mindset but she knew it was inappropriate.

"Well, thanks anyway, I know I complain a lot but I do appreciate you helping me with everything." Kagome said. Though as opposed to offering a reply he gestured to her back where she was carrying her borrowed bows and arrows and then to a target in the distance.

"Draw in all the power you can and release, I'd like to see what you are capable of before we start further training in earnest." Byakuya commented.

Kagome nodded to him, made sense, that way she'd know when progress was being made. Though she was a little nervous as she looked around the barren plateau, at least there wasn't suppose to be anything here that was important she could destroy. She drew an arrow from her quiver and began to pull it when she was tugged from her spot and she saw the place where she's been standing implode into a small crater.

She gaped at the hole as the scene continued to blur lightly, only realizing once she was put down that Byakuya had lifted her out of the way at all. There was a red light glowing in the mouth of a huge black creature with a strange white mask face that looked a little like a imp mask. Staring though she realized with a gasp what it was from pictures Vishin had shown her.

Menos Grande. One of the strongest levels of hollow out there that wasn't otherwise deformed or reformed into something more refined. Worse than that, she could feel the malice coming off of it, the sudden pressure in the air that seemed to compress her chest and want to push her downward.

What was worse, there were dozens of them all around them…

**End Chapter**

Cliffy! Hehe, I'm looking forward to some action writing next chapter. Always enjoy writing action for Byakuya, he's so smexy in battle! *fan girls* Okay enough of that! Holidays make me sadly busy a lot, I'd rather be writing fan fiction than buying gifts *le sigh*.

_-Aura_

To my reviewers:

_Angel_ – Hehe people are always coming to poor Kagome's rescue.

_Sin of the Fallen_ – Hey at least it doesn't go straight to her hits. Man that would be nice.

_AnimeFreakAmanda_ – Hehe, most of my chapters are the same general length, within a few hundred words at least.

_Sugar0o _– Glad to see you seem to have your computer back. I usually don't act on her SEAL plot possibilities as I see so many people needlessly abuse it and make her suddenly too powerful. However as I haven't used it before it it seemed like a nice switch this time.

_Evil RULZ _– Yeah, I always enjoy tormenting Renji even though I like him. It's weird.

_ShiTsukisama_ – I try to update when I have the time and inspiration for it. Both hard to come by some days.

_MoonPrincess1989_ – Thank you, I try to keep people as much IC as possible when I write.

_Ayjah_ – Yeah, she'll live – erm, well she'll stay dead?

_Tohru78_ – Renji is always fun even though I'm usually tormenting him with Byakuya.

_CresentMelody_ – Thanks, I hadn't yet killed Kagome to put her into a plot with Byakuya.

_Duo s luvergurl_ – Thanks, hope you keep enjoying!


	7. Waking Sins

**Chapter Seven:** _**Waking Sins**_

"_The Roots of Violence: Wealth without work, Pleasure with conscience, Knowledge without character, Commerce without morality, Science without humanity, Worship without sacrifice, Politics without principles."_

_**-Gandhi**_

"She'll be an interesting addition if we can get her." The voice was deep, sinister, it seemed to draw the shadows closer to itself. Which in it's own way was fitting, the only visible part of the humanoid cloaked figure was a half mask. An off white that was bone colored, it was settled over two red points of light that seemed to function as eyes and then went back over the head like a helmet.

"You think a dozen Menos Grande will mean anything to a Captain?" The second voice was lighter, closer to a whisper than anything else. It's figure was equally cloaked, though it was shorter and of a heavier stature than the first. "Waste of resources."

"Not really, as long as one returns to us we'll be able to get more of a personal feel of what they're capable of." The first creature didn't seem concerned by the issue. "We'll have others there to spy for us as well soon remember?"

"Yes yes I know." The second frowned. "I wonder how seriously you are actually taking this. With Aizen defeated we have to be very wary, once the soul society realizes we are here they could decide to crush us before we have much of a chance to build. Certainly getting a young powerful soul reaper on our side early will be a good thing but they have a lot of focus on her. We're pushing too hard and are going to get noticed if we keep up things like this. The others are going to be less easy to convince than I."

"They'll fall into line." The swirling shadows moved slightly, the shoulders raising and falling in a undulating shrug. "We've spent too long waiting for Aizen to be cleared away. I'd much rather he remain imprisoned. I have little desire to see him take over Heuco Mundo again. He set back our own plans many years, if it wasn't for our abilities he likely would have sent his Arrancar after us."

"I know. I know." The shorter shadow smirked. "Uabhar, be careful, the others will be displeased at your stepping forward without some sort of vote."

"You are worrying Falsacht, it is unlike you." The taller one replied. "You are welcome to do as you like but I will not back down. If we are to make certain our ways survive, we must destroy the spirit of the guardian squadrons. We owe the General great pain for the way he cast us aside."

"Mmm, I wonder if you take your roll a little to personally." The shorter one shrugged this time. "Regardless, we'll see what is reported back to us and then possibly send in Ainmhain, he is hoping for a chance to get out of here for a while."

"Most are." Uabhar replied with a smirk. "They'll manage, I figure only Formad will have issue with what we are doing here. Find another way to keep him busy in the meantime. I'd like to see what our dear friends have to report to us, it seems we suffered many losses."

_**A few moments before that conversation…**_

_**"Way of Binding Eighty-One: Severing Void."**_

Byakuya's voice intoned the spell shortly before several red lines cut through the air toward Kagome, slamming harshly into the barrier that he'd erected and shaking the ground around them from the impact. She shuttered and knocked an arrow in her bow only to find that one of the hollows was already vanishing and that Byakuya was flickering to another, his sword cutting across it's mask. It too began to evaporate but the pure number of them was threatening to overcome even him.

"Byakuya! Look out!" She called too late, he'd been hit in the back, her eyes widening as he seemed a moment to be pierced through the chest. The seconds seemed to draw on much longer than they actually lasted. Then as she looked toward her hands she realized she'd dropped her bow and instead there was a long katana in her hands like most of the zanpaktou she'd seen in their normal unreleased forms. Fat lot of good it did her now, more of the red lines of energy slammed into the shield and the shuttering of the ground around her from the pressure made her lose her feet. Glancing back up at the battle she found that Byakuya was fine and whatever she'd seen was apparently a trick. It let her breath a sigh of relief even as she tried to figure out what had happened. His captain's coat was drifting to the ground near the creature, cut in places, but Byakuya himself was otherwise unmarked by the attack.

Shortly after she found herself drug to the ground as Byakuya ceased holding back his own spiritual pressure the small shaking seemed to suddenly become earth shattering. Kagome was gritting her teeth as she watched as best she could though the yellow shield and red rays still shooting at her. She suddenly stopped doubting any of the rumors she'd heard as to his strength, just being near him when he released his actual power was painful to her. She could feel her bones creaking in protest of just the proximity of his power.

_**"Shatter, Senbonzakura."**_

Kagome looked up in time to see the blade break apart, she'd seen it once before, just before she'd died, but now she was wondering if it was a signal she would die again. What happened to her soul after she died here anyway? That was something she needed to ask Vishin, he was a know it all. If she survived that is.

The petal blades curled through the air, cutting through four more of the beasts, though the remaining six were getting closer and she was left with a sword she didn't know how to use. She had it out but doubted she'd be able to do much with it. Likely whatever those lazer beams were – she couldn't remember what Vishin had called them – were going to cut her in half. Certainly she hadn't expected her new enemies to be big evil clown masked ghosts that shot lazer beams from their mouths. (cero's for those wondering what she means)

Byakuya was tearing through the creatures quickly, but the cracking of the golden shield wasn't making her feel very good, then they were splitting to move around her haphazard shield. She had to fight just to roll out of the way of one of the shots as the shield he'd made her shattered to nothing. She picked back up the bow, not knowing what to do with her new zanpaktou and drawing back a new arrow.

The holy energy exploded, in her panic she didn't at all hesitate to draw as much power as she could. The bolt knocked her back as if she'd fired a huge firearm and she had to stare at her own handiwork where the energy left a burn mark in the ground before cutting through one of the creatures, though it only began to withdraw, seeming to pull the world like a curtain around it's dark cloak.

Byakuya had finished two more while she had fumbled and managed to make one withdraw, though now she was left without a shield and the remaining two were pointing cero's at her and she was down any sort of shield. She scrambled backward on all fours as her eyes widened at the threat in front of her.

Byakuya was watching, moving impossibly fast and still knowing he wouldn't get there in time he was cursing himself for not having realized the enemies were there sooner or reacting immediately with his Bankai which would have assuredly had finished it before now. Senbonzakura cut through the last pair shortly after their cero's slammed into the ground knocking up a dust cloud around where Kagome had been.

**End Chapter**

My many apologizes for the shortness of this chapter. I've had almost zero time for the holidays and felt the need to at least put up SOMETHING as opposed to nothing at all for my readers.

_-Aura_

To my reviewers:

_Evil RULZ_ – Hope you keep liking it, more cliffy's!

_Ayjah_ – Yeah poor Kagome, I torment her a lot.

_Angel_ – More cliffy's!

_Sin of the Fallen_ – Yes. She does seem to.

_Tohru78_ – Yeah, well, she's still learning. She'll get better.

_AnimeFreakAmanda_ – I love cliffys!

_Sugar0o_ – Yeah I always have to mention Sesshy, he's awesome and all.

_Blackrose15839_ – updated!

_ShiTsukisama_ – There, soon as I could I'm afraid.

_Rukarai207_ – Hehe, maybe, just depends on how things go. Oftentimes my characters write themselves.

_MoonPrincess1989_ – hehe, love/hate at least is better than just hate

_Valleygoat_ – Soon as I could!

_Duosluvergurl_ – I like to keep things as close to realism as possible even in a fiction world.


	8. Aristocratic Arrows

**Chapter Eight:** _**Aristocratic Arrows**_

"_Fate is nothing but the deeds committed in a prior state of existence."_

_**-Ralph Waldo Emerson**_

Byakuya's sandals touched the ground near the crater left by the cero's, a frown across his face as he scanned the dust thrown up. Concern barely touching his features a moment before he heard coughing, if she was alive then she'd be fine, so he let out a short breath he didn't even realize he'd been holding. It would have been difficult to have failed to protect her again, and he'd have to make certain she could protect herself better and make certain her training was swift.

Kagome had backed up so much she'd fallen into a hole in the ground moments before the cero's would have cut her they went just behind her instead tossing up dust and making her incredibly frightened but being no more effective than choking her with the tossed particles in the air and blinding her from seeing the end of the battle.

"Kagome?" Byakuya's voice managed to at least let her know which way to go, she stumbled out of the cloud and right into his side, bouncing off and landing right back on her behind for the second time that afternoon. He looked her over and didn't sound particularly concerned. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah…" She coughed again, shaking her head. "Don't worry about me. My lungs are the only thing complaining."

_"That and my pride." _She thought, though kept it to herself.

"I didn't anticipate such an attack." Byakuya admitted, holding out a hand in a silent offer to help her up. Pulling her easily to her feet when she took it, looking her over and seemingly contemplating how she survived. She wasn't going to give any details that weren't asked for and moved along.

"So, should we return to the soul society then?" Kagome didn't know what to think after that but she didn't really want a repeat performance, she might be so lucky the next time. At least the soul society seemed safer.

"When attacking hollows you need to go for the mask, they can regenerate any other damage but if you destroy the mask you destroy them." Byakuya explained without answering her question. "I will send word back as to what happened and request a few others to keep an eye on you. However, we will stay here so we can continue your training. It seems at the very least you've manifested your zanpaktou."

"Yeah…but it's not very useful…" Kagome said, glancing at the blade. Which gave a short pulse of energy that seemed akin to a 'Hn' as she continued to stare at it. Not running for her life gave her a moment to actually glance it over and she had to admit it was at the very least lovely. There were engravings along it's edges of old styled clouds as they once were on older tapestry's and pieces of art. There was a crisscrossed red and silver ribbon that curled around the hilt and ended in a cherry blossom symbol that was hauntingly familiar. There were three pearls set in the hilt between the cloud engravings and it was rather gorgeous. She felt a certain warmth toward the weapon even if it was more decoration at the moment.

"You will need to learn it's name." Byakuya commented, eyeing the young woman still catching her breath. "Now that you have your sword you won't be using a bow until you learn your weapons name and how to release it."

"Wait…" Kagome frowned at him. "What do you mean? I don't know how to use a sword. Vishin said it can take months to learn your swords name."

"Then draw it, you will learn." Byakuya held up his hand, grasping his Senbonzakura a moment later as it reformed within his hand. He was so graceful, and natural, seeming to just flow into the abilities of his sword. It was intimidating, she was very much not any of those things. It was just her luck she was being asked to learn by someone so out of her level.

"I don't think that's good, shouldn't I learn from Vishin or something first?" It was bad if she was asking to be beaten up by her teacher first and foremost over anyone else. He'd probably thwack her whenever she got a question wrong…but perhaps she'd stand a chance. Her protest didn't matter though, he held his own blade in front of him and was waiting patiently for her to draw as if he hadn't heard her protests at all.

She sighed, looking at him, and knowing that whatever she said it wouldn't matter. She drew out her sword and was settling it in front of her as best she could when it went flying from her hands. Kagome backed a step only to nearly fall back into the crater. She caught her feet that time but only as she noticed that Senbonzakura was placed lightly across her shoulder.

"You need to do better than that." Byakuya pointed out, withdrawing his sword and nodding her to her blade. "Pick it up."

_"Anyone ever tell you how much they'd like to punch you in your narcissistic face?"_ Kagome thought at him, glaring a moment before she went and picked up her sword. Getting it balanced a little quicker that time, though he didn't come at her, he was watching instead.

"Come at me." He ordered quietly, watching her with the appraising look of a teacher ready to correct every mistake.

She grit her teeth and moved forward to stab toward him. He turned away her first strike, barely having to move and instead sending her flying several steps around him. She tried a few more times and it was like he was making her dance, often leaving her in a position where he could lightly settle his blade on her without even having to put forth the slightest thing that seemed like effort. She was already tired and she'd barely struck at him a few times.

"Make your movements count. It's easy for some opponents to simply let them tire themselves out while you go on the defense. If you are too busy only attacking, then you are using up more energy than they. If you go for someone don't put all your weight behind it, you're asking to get knocked around." Byakuya explained as he curled her past him again, she could feel the cool steel of his sword on her shoulder and she slumped a little.

"Could also be you've been at this a hundred or so more years than I have." Kagome pointed out in frustration.

"Don't take it personally." He added next and she could swear he almost smiled at her. "Spread your stance a little further, you'll also need to run and stretch more, work both on your personal flexibility and stamina. If you are not fit then you make the rest of the training only more difficult on yourself."

"Easy for you to say." Kagome was using the pause to catch her breath again, she could feel herself starting to sweat and had hoped his suggestions would be the end of the lesson but she was jumping back a moment later blocking the sword strike from him and trailing backwards again. Blocking once more before finding herself moving into a feint and then feeling the sword along her back.

The sparring felt rather hopeless on her end of things. Not that she wasn't trying, but that she was already exhausted and it'd only been a few mintues yet he didn't seem willing to let up. When she couldn't reply he seemed to know and to let up, yet the moment she thought she could go a little more he'd be right back at it. She was knocked down a lot, often by her own tripping as opposed to him knocking her down. He wasn't cruel, often offering small bits of advice that did help even if she couldn't fully accomplish what he was suggesting.

As the minutes ground forward into hours Kagome found herself getting more and more tired, her body aching and her spirit burning in frustration of how far she'd have to go before she'd manage even an inch of what Byakuya could do. She was wet all over from the sweat of her excursions, she wasn't sure how she was even still moving yet he would demand it the moment she'd fall and not want to get up. Much as she wanted to argue she'd remember only hours before when she nearly died and find the strength to keep going.

Until finally as she landed a little more harshly when he turned her a little to fast and she lost her feet as she pushed herself up she found that she was not on the blank field where she started, instead she was looking around at a lush forest and blinking in shock at the change.

"I apparently smacked my head." She commented.

"No, but it would be better to see you get knocked out than continue to make us both look so incapable." The deep voice made her shutter with recognition, her eyes going wide as she scrambled to her feet to stare at the demon lord whose voice still chilled her to the core.

"Sesshomaru…" She whispered, not sure if she shivered as she stared at the tall form of the demon that tried to kill her the first time they met. Though she didn't have long to gape, as she said his name she felt the weapon in her hand change. The sword she'd been holding was instead a longbow, three pearls set at it's center where it would be drawn. As she reached up to touch it, a glimmer of light appeared as an arrow between her fingers, it shimmered gold with specks of green and she had to stare at the celestial colored weapon now in her hands, there was a blade along it's upper half that likely could still be wielded akin to a sword. It was strange that a weapon with what was apparently a demon's sprit would look so angelic.

"How…how?" She blinked at Sesshomaru and then her own bow in shock. This wasn't at all what she expected when Vishin described how learning ones zanpaktou's name generally worked. "But…you…you should be dead."

"Aren't you?" he replied without missing a beat. "Human, you may be unworthy of me, but I'm a part of you – disturbing and unworthy as that is. Do us both a favor and stop playing with Senbonzakura."

"You know Byakuya's sword's name?" Kagome continued to gape, she was tired of surprises. "How…wait…what?"

"You crossed blades then I know yes." Sesshomaru answered, leaning down on a knee, golden gaze staring into her blue eyes. "It's good you fear me, still, I don't want you to continue to look like such a fool. You need to be able to call on my power, though don't expect much more from me as you are now. Perhaps if you become less pathetic I'll deal with you further."

He leaned down further and Kagome found herself frozen, he was close enough that she could have kissed him. His face clear as day what she remembered from her past, the quarter moon on his forehead, the claw marks on his cheeks, silver hair and golden eyes. He was certainly exotically enticing, and reminded her that most deadly snakes were quite stunning. He whispered into her ear with that deep baritone of his and she closed her eyes, shuttering.

When she opened them, she was back on the plain field and almost no time at all seemed to have passed, she was pushing herself to her feet, eyes wide at the strange experience…the katana in her hand pulsed with energy, as if demanding she react right then. Just what she would expect of him really…

"Destruct, Sesshomaru." She called out, the bow changing as she got close enough to stab and then instead feinted backwards to allow her moment of change to the weapon, drawing the arrow of light and shooting it toward Byakuya. The light reminded her of the whip the demon lord used to call from his hand, and to a point it felt right that she would have him as a partner in this. A part of her past…though she'd have time to dwell later why it wasn't Inuyasha instead.

Byakuya slipped aside, though the energy that ripped through the side of his captain's coat ate away through a large portion of it, the acidic poison that had been a natural part of the demon lord seemed to also stick with theme. Kagome missed the surprised expression on Byakuya's face, too busy with her own shock that she'd managed it. She felt incredibly drained, frightened of her new discoveries, and yet accomplished that she'd managed. Some people didn't learn their blades names for months or even years and yet she'd done it in a day…she was glad for that.

It was her last thought as she lost consciousness, spent completely from her stressing day of attacks and forced training.

**End Chapter**

Less cliffhanger-ey this time. I had to figure out a way to add in Sesshomaru that I hadn't done before. I love the idea of his spirit being her swords spirit. It'll be such a fun prick to her that way. Less action next chapter.

_-Aura_

To my reviewers:

_Sin of the Fallen_ – Well I didn't make it last long. I had this chapter in mind : )

_MoonPrincess1989_ – Sesshy whoo!

_Evil RULZ_ – Didn't have to wait long. I actually had time to do a couple chapters which was exciting.

_Wicken25_ – There you go, that was pretty quick!

_Valleygoat_ – I didn't cliffy this time.

_Sugar0o_ - 3 you even if you give me evil plunnies!

_Duo s luvergurl_ – Yeah, and apparently Sesshomaru.

_Angel _– The best kind. I wish I could possess Sesshy…

_Tohru78 _– Clumsy luck as usual…


	9. Bruises

**Chapter Nine:** _**Bruises**_

"_Many are stubborn in pursuit of the path they have chosen, few in pursuit of the goal."_

_**-Fredrich Nietzsche**_

Kagome was groggy even as she returned to consciousness, looking around her dark room with a sigh, remembering they were in a place where it would always be dark in her room. She fought a moment and managed to get a lantern going without burning herself or the furniture, muttering in annoyance by the time she managed it. It was certainly the room they'd assigned to her earlier. Byakuya must have carried her all the way back after the training. She blushed a little at the idea, then remembering what happened she snatched up her zanpaktou to look at it.

"Sesshomaru?" She asked hesitantly, she wasn't trying to release the weapon so it didn't change, she was a little afraid of her own blade as she looked at it. Though she didn't get an answer she knew that was it's name. That she had seen Sesshomaru and then his name had given her the bow that the blade released into.

It was silent though as she stared at it, hoping to talk to him again, she had endless questions. "I know that's your name and that you can hear me."

She actually had no idea if it could hear her, she knew very little of zanpaktou's, but it seemed the best bluff to come up with off hand.

"Great I'm losing it." She set the sword back on the side table. "I'm talking to a sword. That was certainly something…is that how it always works I wonder?"

It left her with even more questions, though as Sesshomaru wasn't going to answer her like the jerk he was she would have to ask Byakuya. How could she even explain that she'd met her sword in her life in another time? She wasn't sure she wanted to go that much into detail.

She instead pulled the cord to call someone and asked for water, waiting to take a bath as she set out a new uniform. It was nice that they had bath's here, she'd always preferred them to showers. It allowed her to relax and push away her worry for a while over the attack and practice of the day before. She at least would be able to defend herself better now.

Before too long she got out though, her stomach was rumbling and she found herself wanting to give into it's demands. Getting dressed she tied the zanpaktou to her waste, Sesshomaru or not it made her feel safer. She wasn't sure how it came to pass but just the person she was hoping for was also eating when she entered the room with the long dining room table.

Byakuya wasn't there, she didn't want to bother him with small details, so Vishin was just the guy she wanted to talk to. "Hey."

"Good morning Miss Kagome." He answered, offering her a light smile. "Glad to see you woke up finally. The Captain wanted you to join him for training again when you were done eating."

"Really?" Kagome sighed. "I'm already sore, and I learned my sword's name in a day, what does he want?"

"He wants you to be able to protect yourself well, don't worry, you'll be fine Miss Kagome. You are tough." Vishin answered, doing his best not to smirk at her complaints. "You learned your swords name then?"

"Yes…but I'm curious…am I suppose to…ah…hallucinate when it happens?" She asked, sitting down as a servant brought her out food and starting to eat heartily.

"We all see our swords spirits as something else." Vishin answered with a small chuckle. "It is hard at first for many of us but you will learn to adjust quickly. Most of us do not converse with our swords often after we finish training. It often only comes up when it's needed as opposed to when it's wanted."

"Well that sucks." Kagome sighed, she had been hoping she might be able to force Sesshomaru to talk to her. There were so many things she wanted answers for. "Is it just some weird personal thing? Or are they their own people?"

"Well, that's something that's a old discussion. Most believe that the swords we get have separate souls that are still able to resonate well with our own, but there are cases where people do not get along well with the spirit of their blades, or never learn them at all. So others think it's a matter of a personal manifestation. I don't have an answer for you. I believe zanpaktou have their own souls all the while still being a part of us. If we cannot learn to resonate with our blades, then we are weaker, if we can learn to resonate well, we are stonger. That's not a scientific certainty however." Vishin said with a shake of his head. "Most of the time with your blade you will need to come to your own understanding. Many do not like to discuss the specifics of their zanpaktou and I recommend you do the same. The less possible enemies know of what you are capable of, the stronger you can be against them."

"Well, everyone knows most of what the captain's can do and they're still the strongest." Kagome pointed out. "That seems silly, either you are good at fighting, or you suck like me."

"Practice will make you better Kagome." Vishin said, reaching over to pat her arm. "Don't be hard on yourself, you've done very well in just a few days. I have some things I need to be doing here though. I'll be wandering off unless you needed to talk about something else?"

"No." Kagome wished him a good day and sat eating quietly. It was a lie but she didn't want to interrupt his work if it just wasted his time. His answer didn't really leave her any closer to answers. Perhaps Byakuya would know more? Who had a closer connection to their swords than the captains? Though, if Vishin was right, would it be rude to ask? Or would that be only to ask about specifics?

The girl sighed and finished her meal after a few more minutes, heading down the hall toward the study where she'd found the captain the day before. Opening the door and smiling a bit at finding him looking over a book in the same place as usual, he at least was predictable. She blushed as she realized she was staring when he looked up.

"Kagome. Are you ready to return to practice?" He asked, straight to business.

"Do I have a choice?" She asked. "We have to walk all the way out there again?"

"No and yes, it's good for you." He answered the questions in the order they were given, setting a mark in his book before closing it and getting up. He walked to the door and began to walk toward the practice area with her falling into place following him.

"So…you're okay? I didn't hit you right?" She asked, not sure how to start a conversation with him.

"You have a long while to practice before you need to be concerned with harming me." Byakuya answered in true narcissist fashion, making her glare at the back of his head.

"So…I learned my swords name…but it doesn't talk to me now. Should I be worried about that? I don't really know what to do." She said, glancing down as she continued to follow, her uncertainty obvious in her tone.

Glancing back over his shoulder a moment he shook his head. "You already know how to use a bow, time will be the largest need. It takes years for many to reach where you already have. Even if you cannot speak to your zanpaktou openly you are doing well."

"Thank you." She smiled a little, the praise meant more coming from Byakuya. "It…just scares me a little. When it spoke to me, it reminded me of someone that used to frighten me."

"Your zanpaktou is a part of you. To fear it is to weaken yourself, try not to allow that to continue. Let yourself adjust." He said, and she nodded a little. It was all similar to what Vishin had said, yet Byakuya had a natural confidence in all his words that made it easier to believe him over her teacher.

She laughed a little as she continued to follow, not explaining it when he offered her a curious glance, just shaking her head. He wouldn't like it to know she was laughing at the idea he'd help her more than Vishin.

"Today we'll work on flash steps." He said once they'd walked to the top of the hill. "It's an open area here, which is best for such training, little to get in your way."

"So you'll teach me to teleport?" She said, that was still how she viewed the strange ability they had.

"It's not teleporting. You simply learn to jump a further distance with your movements, we are tied to a physical aspect because of the way the world is built but we are spiritual creatures. We can strengthen our spiritual halves as much as our physical if we use them. By combining them we can move with incredible speeds." He started the lesson and Kagome pushed out her concerns with her weapon for the moment. She needed her mind focused if she was going to learn something completely new.

"When you move with a flash step, you augment the spiritual energy all around you to push yourself much farther distances than you would if walking normally." He explained, then vanished from her sight, appearing about fifteen feet ahead of her. "Try."

Kagome frowned a little and took a step forward, which was just a step. Frowning, stepping back to try again, but all she did was take another step. "I don't think this is going to work…"

He was obviously watching and waiting for her to try again so she stepped back to where she'd started and eyed him quietly, not sure what to do and feeling silly just stepping forward and back while standing in one spot.

"Feel the spiritual world around you. You haven't had much of a chance to meditate, which is generally something we encourage in those that are training. Vishin said you have a great sensitivity to the spiritual world." He instructed in his usual cool baritone.

It couldn't hurt her chances so she closed her eyes. She could still feel the spiritual world around her when she reached out for it. She'd learned how to push it out so it didn't overload her when she was in soul society and just hadn't used it much since. Or even thought to do so, it'd just become natural not to pay it much mind and keep her small shield up. She slowly dropped it afraid she'd be overloaded again but the feel of this area was different. There weren't thousands of soul reapers to distract her.

She could feel a lot of small signatures from back in the mountain estate, muffled by the land between them. Vishin's was the most distinct as he was the only other soul reaper, but she could still sense the others as more minor moving signatures. There was the feel of a breeze from Byakuya's direction, and she knew he was holding back a hurricane of energy that would overpower her senses otherwise. There was an almost electricity that came with the signature of his pressure, it was hard to feel much of the world with him so close but she managed to ignore the breeze after concentrating.

"There is a small underlying current of spiritual energy everywhere in both the soul society and the real world. Here it is so thick at times it can be more difficult to jump than in the real world. When you flash step you push against that pressure with your own spiritual energy and use it to propel you forward to your destination in an instant instead of walking more slowly." He continued to explain, and the science gave her a better idea of what to do at least, it wasn't until he pointed it out like he did that she realized there was a constant feel of spiritual energy. It was easy to miss because it was everywhere. Like learning to ignore a fan being on if it's there all the time, she had just dismissed it as a part of the world.

"I can feel it." She said, a little more excitedly than she meant to…but it was a nice feeling to actually start to understand these things.

"Now, try to flash step again, here next to me." He directed, and she opened her eyes judging the distance and still feeling the spiritual energy was harder with her eyes open, her mind taking in so many senses at once, but she knew she had to learn. She went to step forward and pushed at the same time, she was a couple feet short and the disorientation of her first 'jump' made her forget she still had a foot in the air, tripping forward as her body got confused.

Byakuya caught and steadied her, seeming surprised as he nodded to her. "That was good Kagome."

She blushed as she drew herself up and nodded a little in silent thanks of him saving her from a face plant. "It's hard to get right…"

"You'll manage, it becomes second nature once you get adjusted to it." He said, adjusting his face back to his usual neutral attitude. He was honestly surprised, he hadn't expected her to get it nearly that quickly. Certainly her flash steps were not at all refined, but the fact that she'd succeeded at all after only a few tries was amazing. Some people were just better with flash steps but even he had taken a longer time to learn them.

"Come, we'll practice on the way to the field, then we'll go over your sword training." He motioned, it was easy for him to flash step ahead a little further than the last time, he wanted to push her. The sooner she learned these things, the sooner she would be able to better protect herself. They made their way out and she did not do nearly so well with sword training.

Her steps were sluggish, her reflexes were slow, her body was still weak, it was too easy to knock her from her feet. Half the time he could simply disarm her and send her running after the blade. If someone with minor skill with a blade fought her hand to hand, he doubted she would make it more than a few seconds. He couldn't begin to get serious, and that was troubling to say the least.

Kagome frowned as she continued to fight with the blade. He'd given her specific orders not to release it and to fight without her bow. Her body was not happy about it, it ached everywhere, she didn't think she'd ever get this. She was in no way a swordswoman. She was drenched in sweat and wasn't sure there was any part of her that wasn't bruised. This had ceased to feel like training and was starting to seem more like torture. Still, Byakuya wasn't trying to be cruel to her. He corrected her stances, then corrected them over and over if she forgot or got something wrong. She didn't get any interruptions from Sesshomaru this time, if her sword could have said or done something to help he was more content to let her suffer.

She paused after the latest attempt to stab Byakuya, she felt a line of wetness on her cheek, he'd barely cut her cheek and she gasped as she reached up to feel the warm blood, backing several steps. Staring at him in surprise, he surely could have stopped himself, he had every other time.

His expression gave her nothing though, it hadn't changed.

"You aren't done Kagome, unless a would so shallow it wouldn't stop someone more than a child will stop you. Again." He motioned her forward. While his tone was clear and his stance hadn't changed she realized what he was doing.

Byakuya had been at it with her for hours and there wasn't even a slight improvement as best he could tell, she had barely managed to improve her stance. He wasn't sure it it was just exhaustion or if she was finally listening. Obviously though conventional teaching wasn't helping so he'd have to try something else.

She grit her teeth, he was baiting her! That jerk! She set her feet and drew up her sword in front of her again, despite her aching body she ran forward again, only to get twirled around, her sword disarmed from her hand and his blade across her neck.

"Are you even trying?" He asked with a tone that finally gave away he was getting as frustrated as she was. "That's the seventh time I've gotten you with that move alone."

"I am trying…you are better at this than me. Haven't you been doing this longer than I've been alive? How am I suppose to keep up with that?" Kagome asked, frowning still, she wasn't about to back down either. She was more stubborn than allowing that. "Of course I'm trying. Why the hell else would I still be here with you? I'm not a masochist."

"Pick up your sword." He released her and she bent down to get the blade from the ground. "You'll do this til you can't move or until you land a hit."

"That's what I had in mind!" Kagome snapped back at him, drawing her blade up in front of her. "You don't have to be so mean, did I ever say I was going to give up?"

"I believe it is a quote from the world of the living that actions speak louder than words." His cool, unconcerned tone, just made the baiting all the more annoying to her. He'd already covered back up that slight show of emotion. He made her so angry, even if he was trying to help, this wasn't doing it. Why couldn't he explain things better instead of just snapping at her. He helped so well with flash steps but this constant drilling wasn't making her any better.

"Well, you could let me use my released blade you know, the battle is rather uneven." She replied. "Maybe you like picking on new kids."

He canted his head at her, and she winced a bit, perhaps her words were a little harsh, she knew he was trying to help in his own way and she didn't need to be picking a real fight with him.

"Release your blade then." The order made her want to wince again, she was certain she was going to feel pain for that crack she'd just made. Still, her blade pulsed in her hands when the order was given and she couldn't back down now.

"Destruct, Sesshomaru." She called out the release command, hands grasping around a bow a moment later. She drew back an arrow then cried out in protest as she was blocking a strike from Byakuya with it a moment later. Staring as the bow actually blocked instead of being cut in half. Sighing as she felt the sword under her neck again a moment after that.

"Fine fine, you made your point." She sighed, glancing to where her bow seemed to be vibrating in her hand. She was certain the next time she spoke to her blade, it would be less than pleased with her.

"You'll be shown several training exercises by Vishin tomorrow. You'll have a training schedule you'll be following for the next five days throughout. After that we'll train personally again." Byakuya said. "There's nothing more we can do now. You're exhausted; we're both losing our patience today. Come on."

He started back and Kagome reached out to catch his hand. Blushing as he glanced back at her with a bit of surprise at the unexpected motion.

"Look, I'm sorry I snapped at you. I know you're trying to help, I don't want to quit, really, I want to learn." Kagome looked at him as seriously as she could manage and he nodded to her.

"I am not offended Kagome." He assured. "Though we all need to rest sometimes, let us return, you can eat and get your wounds looked over. You'll be very busy soon so you'll appreciate having the evening to rest now."

She dropped his hand and let her zanpaktou return to it's blade state, putting it away and following after him, rubbing her neck lightly as she thought about the days events. How many times over today had he pressed her close when they'd been fighting…she knew it was just sparring…but thinking about it she couldn't help but blush, sometimes she liked when he turned her around and pressed her close. It was like they'd spent the day dancing – painful bruise inducing dancing – but she had enjoyed it. Even if she stumbled all the time…maybe it would be nicer once she had gotten better?

Kagome had another bath, someone bound her many wounds, Vishin used some healing magic on the worst of it, giving her glances of pity on occasion that made her laugh. "Don't worry, I asked for it by being the worst person to hold a sword ever."

"You'll get better. If you were a loss cause he wouldn't keep working with you." Vishin said encouragingly. "He's set you a heavy schedule. I'm not looking forward to having to take you through most of it. I haven't worked like that since my own training at the academy."

"Well, I do what I have to. Its good if I'm doing the things that get everyone else ready right? I shouldn't be treated that differently." Kagome said, much as she didn't really want to be sore for weeks, she knew if she ever wanted to be able to keep up she had a lot of work to do. She drifted off on her bed while Vishin was still in the room, more exhausted than she wanted to admit from the days events.

Her eyes widened though when she found herself in the forest again, knowing she was about to hear him again, and feeling the hair on the back of her neck stand on end when Sesshomaru did speak.

_**"You were a disgrace today."**_

**End Chapter**

I had fun deciding how I wanted flash steps to work. They don't really go into the scientific specifics in the series and I wanted to have some way they worked. It was a fun part of the chapter to write. This was a lot longer than I originally planned it to be but I had a lot I wanted to do with training. Poor Kagome, she'll get better someday, she has good teachers!

_-Aura_

To my reviewers:

_Lovelywitch _– Yes, we all love Sesshy, I like being able to jump between them. It's always fun to write with both of them!

_MoonPrincess_ – Thank you, I was very happy with it.

_Wicken25_ – Hehe, well, at the moment, he considers her beneath him. Which is very much the fluffy we all adore.

_Sugar0o _– I have more story planned for it, but some of it won't come up for a while. I tend to like to save some things. Sesshy will be back next chapter though!

_Evil RULZ_ - : )

_Wolfgirlmoon_ – Yeah we all love Sesshy. He and Byakuya are my two favorites.

_Sin of the Fallen_ - *Snicker* fun to write to boot.

_Tohru78_ – Yeah, I try to find new and interesting ways to do things. Gets hard to be original, particularly in fanfiction.

_Angel_ – Yeah, lots still to do with Sesshy as her weapon.

_Valleygoat_ – Soon as I could get this together.

_Duo s luvergurl _– Indeed he will, though Kagome may not like it.

_Kuugen _- *giggle*

_Readingwithenvy_ – Aw thanks, hope I keep to standard!

_Death marininja _– Hope you keep enjoying it.

_CresentMelody _– Well I do a lot of K/S pairings and this fic is a B/S pairing. I always like to add Sesshy in though as I'm also a big fan.

_Neo-crystal _– I thought it was unique in that I haven't seen it before at least. I have to always find a way to add sesshy in – it's a personal thing.

_Skyisthelimit_ – they're my favorite fan pairing. I like Kag/Sesshy but I love Kag/Byakuya more, it's just a weird crossover love for me.

_Amaterasu _– Hope you keep reading.


	10. Merciless

**Chapter Ten:** _**Merciless**_

"_When you actually meet the devil and he offers you a deal most artists eventually negotiate."_

_**-Marc Maron**_

_**"You were a disgrace today."**_

Kagome felt her hands balling into fists and the fear she'd felt for Sesshomaru her temper managed to put aside for her. "Look, I haven't done anything with swords before. Did you expect me to pick it up and be an instant success? Of course I wasn't good, at least I was trying. It's not like you helped."

"When you called on me, you were instantly defeated. Senbonzakura is not stronger than I am, but you are much weaker than his wielder." The deep voice was still insulted, it was an obvious bother to him that she wasn't instantly better.

"Duh!" She turned around toward him, putting her hands on her hips, but he wasn't even looking at her. The beautiful demon lord was looking up at the clear blue sky, apparently the gathering clouds were more interesting than she was. "He's been a warrior longer than I've been alive. I cannot possibly defeat him in a day. I will someday, but I can't right now."

"Will you? You are infinitely worse in every possible area. He is faster, smarter, stronger, and all in all more powerful than you." Sesshomaru replied, and she was about to snap at him but he leveled a glare on her with those golden eyes that made the words die in her throat before she could get them out. Then he was stalking toward her and she found the bravado her temper inspired was retreating swiftly. "What would you do miko? Why did you dare to call upon me? What part of that busted mind of yours thought you could possible control my power?"

"What?" Kagome frowned as she looked back at that hateful stare. He resented her, for some reason he thought she'd picked him for this? "What the hell are you talking about Sesshomaru? I didn't call on you…hell if I got to choose a demon to be my blade you would have been the last person I picked. You tried to kill me the first time we met remember?"

"You are even weaker now than you were then." His cool reply didn't help her ego, he was already dragging her through the mud, now he just wanted to add insult to injury. Still, he'd just told her that he was the Sesshomaru that she remembered…and that made both her eyes widen in shock as opposed to narrow in anger.

"You are him…it's not just my imagination. What happened? What happened to Inuyasha and the rest? To Rin, to you, how did you become my blade?" She had so many questions; she couldn't possibly express them all.

"Do not assume we are friends Kagome Higurashi." Her moment of hope dropped away as he settled a hand on the sword he still wore at his hip. She barely skittered to the side as he drew it and slashed down next to her. "You cannot begin to understand the things that have passed since you knew me centuries ago. Our camaraderie ended with the death of Naraku, you are nothing more than ailing child who should be put out of her misery."

She'd barely managed to draw her own blade, and the odd thought that she was defending against Sesshomaru with himself didn't make it past that as she blocked his strike but was knocked like a rag doll across the forest floor, her stop coming with a painful slam into a tree truck that splintered around her. It was much more painful than dealing with Byakuya, who had at least pulled his punches. Still, the demon lord seemed intent on his words, his blade driving at her again. She managed to block, though only partly, the sword only cut an inch into her shoulder as opposed to slicing her into multiple pieces.

A flash of light around her had happened as she blocked, and she realized Sesshomaru's hands were burned, the demon lord letting go of his own blade as he hissed gently at the pain of most of his flesh being black up to his elbows. She was pinned though, the sword was deep enough that she couldn't move without causing herself more damage, and she was gaping wide eyed at the glaring demon lord, his eyes had bled into red and the gold iris' were now a black oblivion that promised death. Though he still stood back she winced as she watched his smoking hands.

"Sesshomaru stop this, I can heal you. Don't just try to kill me…I thought we had to work together? Aren't we a part of each other now? Tell me what happened, why you are here, why you are this way and not a person as I remember…" Kagome knew she had to try to reason before he decided to attack her again.

He gave a moment of pause, as he stared at her she could watch the red and black leaking away from his gaze. He frowned slightly and despite the fact it made her scream he pulled his sword back out of the tree, deepening her wound and making her hold her shoulder as it bled around her hand. "You actually don't remember. You didn't bring me here realizing it…so why then am I here now?"

"You know you are a zanpaktou?" She asked, now that he wasn't out to kill her she was still leaning on the tree and had a hand over her shoulder with a small light around her. Healing magic was something she'd taken too very easily. The rest of the types of magic Byakuya wouldn't work with her on yet, but healing magic was a natural extension of her abilities when she was alive.

"Do you know what a zanpaktou is?" He leaned down closer and she shivered and he held his claws near her shoulder, half expecting him to stab her but realizing he was healing them from the energy she was expending by the nearness after a tense few moments.

"The blade of a soul reaper," Kagome replied.

"It's a pity you couldn't defeat your enemies by stating the obvious, they'd lose every time." His cold words made her frown at him again, but he continued before she could say anything. "A zanpaktou is bound to a soul reaper from a demon's soul in our after life. Many consider it a chance to repent being bound into service; I consider it an incredible insult. Many that are bound can't recall who they were, only the strongest, I am well aware of who I am however priestess."

Kagome was quiet, it was a lot of information to take in, Zanpaktou's were like reborn demons? Her world just kept getting stranger and stranger over time. Though from her shocked expression Sesshomaru knew he was correct in thinking she hadn't realized what she'd done. He could sense parts of her heart and mind but he was doing his best to block that out. He'd rather kill her so he could return to his realm…but it would be beneath him to slay her for an insult she couldn't control and didn't mean to lay on him.

"We will train…when you rest your body, I will train your spirit." He said, drawing his hands back as her spell finished healing them, looking at them only a moment before glancing back up to her surprised expression and smiling darkly. "Do not assume I will go easy on you, whatever happened to bind me to you, I am not your servant, I simply cannot continue to suffer the insult of your inability. If I must resolve that by getting involved myself then I shall."

Kagome nodded slowly, accepting the clawed hand that reached down for her in a silent offer of help to her feet. "I…how did you end up as my blade…don't you think Inuyasha would be more…"

Sesshomaru sniffed distastefully at his half-brother's name. "Half-breed's go to the human after life, he could not have become your blade. When I manifested, you were in incredible danger. I would assume you subconsciously called the strongest thing you could imagine."

Kagome nodded lightly, as narcissistic as the statement was, she could hardly refute it, she'd never witnessed anyone else close to Sesshomaru's strength except perhaps Byakuya. If he was going to work with her as opposed to against her now, she wouldn't argue that change at all. She retook her feet, but was still brimming with questions, not sure if she should ask.

"We'll train first, and if you do well, I'll answer questions." He said, as if reading her mind, making her black brows vanish into her bangs. "I can read you easily Kagome Higurashi, draw your blade. You must cease to dishonor me before I'll give you an inch."

Kagome wanted to groan but she knew that was even less likely to help with Sesshomaru than it was Byakuya. Would she not even get solace in her dreams? Seemed she wasn't going to get to rest until she knew how to handle herself. That worried her to be certain, but her apprehensions were forgotten as she was cracked harshly in the shoulder by her new trainer, Sesshomaru wouldn't offer her the polite pauses Byakuya had…he would let her feel every mistake.

They were at it for a while, he snapped cold words of correction at her every mistake no matter how small and after a while when she was tiring he buried his blade in her shoulder again when she had paused a moment to breath.

"Your enemies will not allow you the time to catch your breath, you must learn to always keep moving, to keep suffering through, no matter what your body feels like. If you think you will break, continue to move, for they will only help you break faster if you pause." Sesshomaru stated coldly, his golden eyes so unforgiving as he eyed her she could hardly believe he wasn't an enemy. Her body though couldn't move, she tried to back away but the pain in her shoulder was too great, she felt dizzy from all the training. The scene in front of her started to fade to black, even though she could still hear Sesshomaru's growl echoing in her ears she couldn't react to it.

_******* In the waking world *******_

Byakuya sighed as he settled back into his bath, Senbonzakura had reported to him that Kagome's blade was quite strong, yet after hours of training she'd barely improved which wasn't boding well. If her swords personality was too strong she was at risk of becoming victim to it. It didn't happen often, but occasionally when people were graced with particularly strong zanpaktou they would die and the causes were often mysterious. If she didn't learn to wield this Sesshomaru quickly he was concerned that she may not have the chance to continue to learn at all.

The dark tile of the fine room reflected his troubled expression back at him but with the lack of witnesses he didn't bother to school it back to normal. He'd already let the girl die once, and nearly die again, he didn't at all want to be responsible if he couldn't prepare her for the various trials she would face. He hadn't ever been much of a teacher, his grandfather had told him he was too impatient, but he didn't know what else to do if she wouldn't follow his instructions.

He didn't have another way to train her but physical combat. He knew Renji would be closer to her level, but he had to deal with the needs of the Squadron while Byakuya was away. Rukia should be on her way soon, and she would be closer still than even Renji was to Byakuya's level of power. He would have to ask her to help at this rate, and he didn't like having to put his responsibility on others.

He didn't linger for too long in the bath, he wasn't as sore as he suspected she would be and they had to share the bath. He wasn't aware she'd already taken a short one and passed out. Though as he was pulling on his robes that he wore to bed he heard her whimper loudly after hissing as if she was in pain and curiosity got the better of him. He opened her door and then blinked as he saw her twitching lightly in her sleep, his own eyes widening as he watched blood stain through the shoulder of her uniform.

"Kagome, wake up!" He was next to her in a moment, hands on her shoulder shaking her. "Wake up now!"

**End Chapter**

Whew, poor Kagome. She has a couple pretty harsh teachers. Yes Sesshomaru is a dick, but well, he has good reason getting shoved into servitude against his will and all that. Happy Holidays to all my readers!

_-Aura_

To my reviewers:

_Neo-Crystal _– Thank you. I always like to hear that people enjoy my writing. It is great to get that sort of feedback. Mostly I write for me, but I love having fans as well. Certainly helps give me the inspiration to write more faster!

_Tohru78 _– Yeah, Sesshomaru is much harsher than Byakuya. He's like 'feel the pain and you'll get faster to stop it ; D'

_CrescentMelody_ – Yes he is mean. He's suppose to be mean. He has good reason. At least he decided to train her as opposed to kill her (though that would have ended the fiction pretty early).

_Valleygoat_ – A little of all of the above!

_AnimeFreakAmanda_ – Thanks, I am very happy with my addition of Sesshomaru to the plot.

_Evil RULZ _– Yeah Sesshy also training her was a plan. Albeit he's a lot less forgiving.

_Sugar0o_ – Yes I torment and love Kagome at the same time. Maybe it's cause she gets Sesshomaru and Byakuya and I'm jealous, probably not that though. I think her burning most of Sesshy's skin to the elbows was fun though. He was like 'hn'.

_Sin of the Fallen_ – Yeah he got a tad screwed there.

_MoonPrincess1989_ – I think I got this one up quick!


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